


The Bear's wife

by Dawnlady



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Partial Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2018-12-08 03:21:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11637876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawnlady/pseuds/Dawnlady
Summary: Lynesse Mormont of House Hightower left her husband for money and comfort.How would she react to learning he is now in a position of power and prestige as a close advisor of the Mother of Dragons in Mereen. She is coming for a visit.The arrival of Lady Lynesse leads to a new course in events after that moment. Destinies may change.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Introductory Chapter to a plot bunny. I am planning to turn it into at least a three chapter short story but depending on my muse it might turn into more. R the record I am not a native speaker and I do not have a beta. Might try to find one if it turns into a long story.
> 
> Reading ASOAF and GOT fanfic I"ve been overrun by plotbunnies. 
> 
> Jorah Mormont"s comments on his second wife Lynesse Hightower lead me to think what-if. He describes how he had an expensive wife who left him for another man. This means Jorah is still technically married as their is no rready made reason for an anullment - I assume those two went at it like bunnies the way things stand. 
> 
> So, what-if Lynesse who left Jorah for selfish reasons -money, comfort, luxuries- hears about the fact that Jorah is in the inner counsil of Daenerys Targaryen the Mother of Dragons and current ruler of Mereen, Suddenly Jorah can give her the things she craves and a wife is still a more coveted position than even the most favoured concubine. 
> 
> I just had to play with this idea. To make it fit Jorahs betrayal has not been discovered.

The Bear"s wife 

Daenerys had not been idle since conquering Mereen. With the help of her council Ser Jorah, Grey Worm, Daario, Ser Barristan and Missandei restoring order and peace to Mereen has been their main object, but now after order has been restored, markets have opened again and the former slaves are getting used to their freedom it is time to hold court, greet foreign ambassadors and establish Mereen firmly while filling her coffers for the eventual move to Westeros. 

Taking her seat on the pyramids throne flanked by Ser Jorah and Daario with Missandei at hand to translate she feels ready. The unsullied slowly open the doors to the throne room and it fills with petitioners quick. A quick inhale from her right leads Daenerys to look around the room for the danger that surprised her Bear into letting his feelings show even with such a small tell. Not finding any danger she turns her eyes to him. Her Bear is standing stiffly, looking grimly and pale but strangely his fists are clenching at his sides and not reaching for his sword. Puzzled Daenerys turns to her left where Daario alerted by the action is scanning the crowd, coiled to jump into action the moment he identifies the danger. 

Silence in the throne room. The unsullied are tense, Missandei is looking at her for guidance and the first petitioner is kneeling in front of her. With a wave of her hand she signals Missandei to start proceedings, 

For the next half an hour she hears the complains of former masters losing their gold, fields lying fallow as their former slaves refuse to work them, fruit going bad as no one is picking them and she silently has to admit that there is still a lot to be done and that she still has a lot to learn about ruling, She should have taken care of this much earlier, they cannot afford to lose the harvest, people need to eat. 

She orders the former masters to go to Ser Barristan and work out a way to pay servants to do the work and makes a note to have Missandei talk to the former slave to find those willing to work for the masters with their new rights as freemen guaranteed. People need to eat and she will also need to convene her counsil to work out how to re-distribute the work and guarantee that the former masters will not cheat, hurt or re-enslave anyone 

A new group descends on the throne, a beautiful blonde woman in the front. She does not look like any of her people. A very elegant curtsy later the woman rises 

Ÿour Grace, Lynesse Mormont, of the house Hightower at your service." 

Daenerys freezes, did she just, what? A look at Ser Jorah shows him gritting his teeth, his pale cheeks turning red in anger, his posture showing off his distaste and anger.She knows this is not going to be to his liking but she needs to act like a ruler. She knows she has to proove to be a good and wise ruler to make her goal of taking back the Iron Throne easier. 

"You are welcome in my halls Lady Lynesse, may I now hear your request?" She is intrigued by this woman, a Mormont, somehow connected to the Mormont family. A Westerosi lady would be a good addition to her court, all her Westerosi counsel are male and cannot or do not know much of about the womenly pursuits of Westeros. She also needs a handmaiden and her own court of ladies she can take to Westeros to look more like the Westerosi Queen. Recently with her work in Mereen she realized how much her Dothraki customs mark her as other and even primitive to her subjects. 

Ÿour Grace, I heard my husband was at your side, and I have missed him so much since he turned sellsword after our flight from Westeros."

Daenerys cannot suppress the shocked gasp, which is drowned out by the angry growl from her right side and a snort from her left. Ser Jorahs wife? She tries to remember what she knows about Ser Jorahs wife. " I had no money and an expensive wife." His words echo in her mind followed by his explanation of where she is now " In another place with another man." 

It does not paint a good picture of the woman, but at the same time this is not something to acknowledge in open court. Making this a scandal can only hurt her reign. 

" You sure are welcome Lady Mormont, I apologize that I cannot excuse your husband right now. My advisors place is at my side when I hold court. But I am sure you would like to rest and refresh yourself. Black Rat will show you to a room. He will also show you to the dining hall to dine with us later." 

The woman curtsies again and leaves the hall, Daenerys can feel the tension in the room but waves her hand to call forth the next petitioner. 

A furtive look at her right shows her Ser Jorah nearly vibrating in mute and helpless anger and a look to her left shows Daario who is clearly surpressing his mirth with some difficulties. 

The rest of the petitions fly by, more former masters missing a workforce, former slaves who need a roof over their head, traders from Astapor and Yunkai wanting to renegotiate treaties with Mereen, traders from Volantis whose merchandise was slaves that were freed with her conquering of Mereen which included the slave markets, threatening dire consequences if she would not return their lawful property. 

Once court was dismissed she reconvened her counsil - There was still more to do. Contrary to what she thought early in the petitions Ser Jorahs wife was not the most pressing issue, though it would be one of the matters talked about. The Volanteen traders were a bigger worry, Volantis had might and she did need counsil on what to do about the slave traders without starting a war and without handing back the freed men. She would never hand anyone into slavery.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The council , the past. Another short chapter

The Bears Wife 1

As not all of her council had been at court Danaerys was not looking forward to having this next talk with them. 

Better get it over with fast, making it very clear that matters of state would then take precedent - and maybe make Ser Jorah suffer a bit for the situation he had now put her in.

"Ser Jorah, before we can start matter of my reign I do have to ask you, what is your wife doing here and how come we did not know about her visit in advance?" 

Pandemonium ... She knew this would be trouble and keep them from more pressing matters, but making her bear squirm was too tempting.

Guffaws from Daario, an honest questioning glance from Missandei, and a flabberghasted Ser Barristan the bold were quite a result for one not so innocent question. Ser Jorah himself had blanched again and seemed to be searching for an answer . 

" I'll let you think carefully about your answer Ser, and hope you will consider the disruption and your wife's reasons to follow you here too while we will now turn to matters of state."

Daario sobered up quite fast at that, helping her into her chair at the table, everyone else seated Ser Barristan opened the meeting.

" I Already met with the group of former masters and have sent word to the former slaves that there is work at the farms that will earn them a good income. I agree we need to find a way to make them carry their load of work in the city but I also counsel you to find a way to make the masters do their part and not just let them profit from the land they own. We cannot disown them or we have riots on our hands but we need to find a way to redistribute the wealth or the slavery will just be turned into serfdom not giving the freed men more freedom than they had as slaves." 

Missandei and Grey Worm nodded and both agreed that somethung needed to be done, but they were more interested in making sure the workers they could find for the traders, tradesmen and farms would not be mistreated. 

Ser Jorah kept out of the discussion but Daario who had gotten bored already and could not wait for the part of the council where they would discuss Ser Jorahs beautiful wife ruthlessly added :

"Just send a small group of unsullied with the new farmers and have them patrol the markets and tradesmen quarter, make it out as a precaution with the city being open to foreign traders again and the farms being on the outskirts of the city. Give the unsullied orders to step in if the freed men are mistreated."

Daenerys who had gotten very used to the guidance of Ser Jorah send him a questioning look, but Ser Jorah was lost in his own world. So she turned her eyes to Ser Barristan who agreed with Daario's idea for now 

" Your Grace, that is a good plan. I would also propose inviting a group of masters , traders, farmers and tradesmen and a group of freed men to discuss fair working hours and fair wages. The farming is very urgent though so I would request volunteers to get the harvest in for now. Make sure they know its important for everyone , people need to eat. Maybe we could order some of the younger members of the masters families to join freed men on the fields. "

Missandei and Grey worm solemnly nodded again and Daenerys ordered them to make it so before going over to the next worry on her list, the slave traders from Volantis. She categorically refused to hand back their slaves , they were freed men now and would stay free, but a war with Volanits was to be avoided.

They could not afford another war so soon, and it would do nothing for her long term plans to conquer Westeros.war would cost gold and troops and time. There was no easy answer and with most of her council preoccupied with their thoughts on Lady Mormont they decided to order the Volanteen to Court another day to start negotiations.

" Ser Barristan as you were not in court today I should tell you about our new visitor, Lady Lynesse Mormont of House Hightower, Ser Jorah's wife, who apparently in her own words claims to have come here to see her husband whom she has missed dearly since he became a sellsword some years ago. - Ser Jorah, please tell me more about your lady wife! All I remember you ever mentioning about her is that she was expensive and left you for another man. Who is that man? Why did she leave you/ Why did you let her leave you? What does your wife want here? I demand an explanation!"

Ser Jorah had gone pale and then flush with anger again during his Queens words. 

"Khaleesi, I will tell you, lets send the others away..." He stammered.

" No Ser Jorah, your wife introduced herself infront of the whole court. You will explain yourself infront of the whole council!"

"Please khaleesi..."

" Ser Jorah your queen demands you to talk so you will explain! Tell the truth, Now!"

ÿour grace, Lady Lynesse is my wife. After I won the tourney at Lannisport I crowned her my 'queen of love and beauty and later we got wed. Her father is the Lord of House Hightower, but Lynesse while the most beautiful of his daughters is also the youngest, so as Lord Mormont of Bear Isle I was a good match. We were happy at first, but Lynesse was unused to the rough North and the lonely Bear Island, House Hightower has its seat in Oldtown, the city and the rich fertile grounds make them a prosperous house..." Jorah trailed off at the chuckles from Daario. While Ser Barristan seemed lost in thought. 

" I remember the tourney at Lannisport ten years ago, I remember you crowning a Hightower lady. She was young and very enamoured with the tourney and jousting knights." Ser Barristan added. 

"Continue Ser Jorah!"

" My wife loved the good things in life, the comforts and luxuries she had grown up with in one of the most prosperous places in Westeros, I could not give her all she wanted and expected. I was a fool in love and emptied my coffers to keep her happy, turning to selling poachers I caught into slavery instead of sending them to the wall when I had just about ruined my land." 

Daario was outright guffawing again by this point and making remarks about being ruled by a woman. Ser Barristan disapproving of Ser Jorah's past added that he had let himself be ruled by a child , not even a woman, as the girl was barely 15 when they married. Daenerys shushed them both and motioned Ser Jorah to continue.

" I fled Westeros with her when Ned Stark demanded my head for the charge of slavery. We went to Lys, and with the money I had left we could not live there for long, so I had to hire myself out as a sellsword to afford my pretty, expensive and shallow wife.. Lynesse refused to sell any of her jewlery or clothes, even the warm northern clothes she could not wear in Lys, but grew more and more disenchanted with our marriage the less I could give her.. In the end she left me to become the concubine of the richest man in Lys, while I was away fighting in a sellsword company to keep her in style and in expensive trinkets. "

Daenerys frowned at the story, if Ser Jorah was right she could only see one reason for his wife to have returned to hiim. 

Again Ser Barristan had something to share " Not much honor to be had in this tale, your grace."

" But a man lead by his cock ... I can respect a man who makes decisions in his life for beauty!"

" I do not know what sent my wife here, your grace. It might be her new man, it might she's grown to old for him, it might be that she heard of me being your advisor and the position of my wife might now bring her the comforts and luxuries she so craves, and a wife is higher than a concubine any day. " 

" Where are your loyalities here 'Ser Jorah the Andal' " Ser Barristan asked with a frown. 

"My loyalty and life belongs to the Khaleesi, Ser Barristan."

" Swear it!"

Ser Jorah fell to his knees infront of his queen, laid his sword at her feet and swore himself to her again. 

"This changes nothing Khaleesi, my loyalties may have been with my wife over my liege lord at one point, but she betrayed me for her luxuries - I have no lady but my queen."


	3. Dinner with the wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The council meets Ser Jorahs wife for dinner and demands an explanation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the wait, this is the second attempt at chapter thre, my system crashed while I was writing the first version and for some reason restored it to an early save of the file and I lost two and a half pages of work and my motivation. I might be able to post one more chapter today, otherwise I sadly have to admit it will be some time before I will post an update as I am out of the country from tomorrow - Dragoncon here I come!  
> And then have a business trip shortly after I come back. I don't think I'll manage to update before october.

Chapter 2 

Meeting the wife

You could say what you want, whatever else Lynesse Mormont might be, she was an extraordinary beautiful woman. Wavy light golden hair, eyes blue as sapphire, lips red as blood, a lithe body with good curves moving like seduction personified. Daario Naharis really appreciated the view though he was puzzled as to how the knight had ever won such a fair maiden. This woman could have brought Princes and Kings to their knees.

Lady Lynesse glides over to the Queen and sinks into an elegent curtsy. " Your Grace, I am delighted to be invited to your table. Let me thanķ you for the warm welcome." At a nod from Daenerys she rises again and musters the men around the queen. A nod for Grey Worm and Missandei, a smirk and a wink at Ser Jorah, " Ser Barristan" An acknowledgement and a less deep curtsy for the old knight. Before she turns to Daario and her eyes roam over him Daario and light up with desire, but she refrains from doing more than giving him a blinding smile and a curt nod. 

Daario knows how to read women and he knows this woman would like to bed him and will probably do her best to do so behind her dull husbands back. 

Ser Jorah knows by now how to read his unfaithful wife too and her interest in Daario is plain to him, He grits his teeth but knows his Khaleesi will take it amiss if he makes a scene. 

The queen orders everyone to sit down to eat , gritting her teeth as well, she might not have been adept enough to realize Lady Lynesse interest in Daario, but the near direct cut she gave her own husband was clear as day, as was the fact that Lady Lynesse elegance and finesse highlighted Danys own lack of it.

" Lady Lynesse I welcome you to our table and would like to ask again what brings you to my halls." Dany opened the talks once the first course was on the table, Now that it was just her council and unsullied around she would not need to save face no matter what the Lady would answer. 

" Your grace, as I said before, my husband is what brought me here. I missed him so much while he was away as a sellsword. I - your grace must know how delicate we women are, I could not follow him around while he was on the move with the company of sellswords." Lynesse simpered, concentrating all her charm on the queen and missing the fact that everyone else was wincing at her words " And when I heard he joined a Dothraki horde to make his money I thought I'd never see him again. Those savages are beasts, I could not endure their presence, and who knows if they'd kill my poor husband for a jape. I have to admit I am a weak woman and when I learned he joined the Dothraki I went for protection of another man. I am not proud of what I've done there your Grace, but as a Lady I needed the protection." Lynesse was still trying to display her whole adventure in a light that should see her pitied, wile the men at the table had went from silent winces to pale anger to slight amusement at how badly this Westerosi Lady had misread Daenerys. 

Ser Barristan started to chuckle. This Lynesse was a true Westerosi Lady. This act would have brought her pity and protection if she had used it on a Westerosi Lord. She seemed adept at the Game and had thrown Jorah to the hounds as the sole perpetrator in their fate. But at the same time she had taken a look at Daenerys who was wearing a tokar and her Dragon necklace and had seen a Westerosi lady, a flower to be plucked and kept under the protection of men, from fathers and brothers to husband and sons never to be her own master, never to protect herself. In a few words she had insulted her husband- one of the queens closest advisors and dearest friends- her Dothraki, the queens upbringing and life and her dead husband and son, as well as declared women as weak and implied unknowingly that the queen could not be a lady.

Daenerys was listening to Lady Lynesse and her anger rose with each word out of that - that harlots mouth,. How dare she! She was going to wake the Dragon! This amount of rudeness could not be tolerated!

Ser Jorah who had been very worried how his khaleesi would take to Lynesse and to him thereafter started wincing very early into her explanation to then blanch in anger. How dare his wife, the whore insult his khaleesi? This was not to be tolerated.. 

Daario Nahaaris had rarely had this much entertainment. He acknowledged that the 'Lady' was good at the game of manipulation and a Lysene or Volanteen or Myrish noble would be moved by her apparent plight and the way she presented it. The woman had no sense and had nearly no knowledge of the khaleesi though. Insulting her khalasar was not a good idea. She had ruthlessly thrown her husband to the dogs or so she thought for the favour of the dragon Queen. 

He realized though that the Lady must have motives for her visit and that they needed to find out those motives. It could be dangerous for Mereen and the Queen if the Lady had been sent here in here position as the concubine of the richest man in Lys, richest man in Essos always meant he'd have his hands in the slave trade in one way or another and the Queen and the freed men in Mereen where a threat to profit. Daario decided to intervene before the Queen lost her considerable temper. 

" My queen if I might interrupt, " He looked at the queen imploringly. " I would like to ask the Lady some more questions." 

Lynesse looked rather annoyed that her talk with the Queen was interupted by one of her counsil. It had been going so well. 

" You may, Daario" 

" Lady Lynesse I would like to clarify some points with you before coming back to the reason of your visit." He sent her a rogueish smile. " You were living under the protection of Tregar Ormollen? How long have you been under his protection?"

" Yes my Lord. For six years ."

" When did you marry Ser Jorah, when did you arrive in Lys and when did he join the dothraki horde?"

Lynesse sighed prettily. " I first met my husband at a tourney and it was so romantic, he won the joust and crowned me his Queen of Love and Beauty, such a fine man I thouught. I did not know then how miserly he was and how he was no true knight. I was in love and he was so handsome and strong in his armour. "

Daario grinned knowingly at her, here she was trying to play a player , she should know better. 

"Lady Lynesse that is not an answer to my question." 

Lynesse fluttered her eyelashes at the queen. " I was young and soo impressed, he was so strong. We got betrothed shortly after the tourney and married nine years ago in a wonderful ceremony in the sept in Oldtown. It was so romantic. He was a Lord and I was his declared Queen of Love and Beauty a wonderful tale come true. That is until we reached his home. Lord of a little rock in a horrible stormy sea, a tiny keep and his family, the lack of elegance and nobility was shocking. The women in his family were mannish and insisted on fighting and wearing armour, it wasn't safe there were attacks of wildlings and it was all so wild and my dream had feet of clay." Lynesse managed to squeeze out a few tears, still focused on Daenerys but not reading her well at all. 

Daario chuckled. "My questions Lady Lynesse."

She glared at him,. Jorah was still white in fury, Ser Barristan looked unwillingly amused by the hapless lady, Missandei had translated everything to Grey Worm in a low murmur and both of them were glaring at the lady disapprovingly.Daenerys was hiding behind her courtly mask, the one she had used when he was still with the Titans Bastard and the bastard had been trying to get a rise out of her .

" Right, we married 9 years ago, left for Lys about 7 years ago, he started to work as a sellsword shortly after, leaving me in a small mansion with just three servants and two guards, I was a helpless woman. My queen can you imagine, only three servants and two guards, I was practically alone and defenseless while he was gallivanting off for recognition and honor as a sellsword." Daario raised his hand in a motion for her to continue.

" A few months into his service as a sellsword he joined a Dothraki horde. Those beasts are scary, my Queen. I feared they would come into our mansion and rape me, they are savages and I feared for my virtue and my life. It was then that I realised my husband was not the same man anymore. I fled to the safety of a life that would not end up with me being brutalized by savages or thrown to the dogs." Lynesse managed some more tears. " I know it wasn't the honorable choice, but it seemed like my husband lost his care and honor somewhere around that time and I feared for my life. It shameed me to live as a concubine but we women have so little choice, too weak to defend ourselves and I needed a new protector when mine betrayed me. Hearing he was so high in your council made me hope he overcame his dishonorable ways and might return to the man I loved so much,"

During her speech Jorah had started to grip the table to stop himself from lashing out at his lying, manipulating snake of a wife. He'd started to growl but a single look from his khaleesi had stopped him in his tracks and he sat still barely breathing through his rage. 

Daario smirked at the little lady. " An interesting story, Lady Lynesse, but I think I want to hear Ser Jorahs side of the tale. Ser Jorah if you would please answer the same questions as your ladywife." 

" My wife did speak some truth. We first met at the tourney in Lannisport I won the joust, thought her the most beautiful Lady and crowned her myQueen of Love and Beauty. She was th youngest of the Hightower brood, and had little honorable prospects after the Ursupers war and then the Greyjoy rebellion had cost the land a lot of its noble men, and she was only the youngest of several daughters. So her family liked the idea of her being married to a Lord with his own keep who had distinguished himself in the Rebellion and now in this tourney. We got betrothed and married nine years ago. After about a year I had nearly spend all my income on keeping my wife in jewelery, the best dresses and amused. We fled to Lys about seven years ago, where my wife refused to econimize and kept spending money until I had to hire my sword out three months into our stay. I worked as a sellsword in a small company for two years, but she left me 7 months into our stay to become a concubine and had her lover banish me from Lys when I returned from my assignment." 

"Did you join a Dothraki horde in those 7 months?" 

"No, there were two former Dothraki slaves who were in our company, it's where I started to learn the language but I did not even make contact in my work as a sellsword with a Dothraki horde until two years after I left Lys. At that point I hired on as a guard for a merchant who sold wares at Vaes Dothrak. That is where I truly started to learn Dothraki language and customs and where I first met Khal Drogo." 

Lynesse looked angered and confused. Why would her husband mention a certain Khal, did the Queen know he had been with a Dothraki horde? She had only learned about it long after she had left him and it did scare her when she heard about as the Dothraki were powerful but the kind of power he got with them could not be harnessed by her. Here with nobles and a queen she'd easily outplay her witless and boring husband, while getting the place in life she deserved. 

She looked at Jorah who was grinning at her, like he had nothing to fear, before turning back to the queen with an adoring gaze. 

"Khaleesi, you know I would never lie to you, but I am sure some of your Dothraki can confirm the truth for you." 

A flabberghasted Lady Lynesse looked at the Queen and her council in horror. 

Daario guffawed. Grey Worm was even grinning while getting up to get one of the Queens Dothraki. 

In a desparate attempt to save the situation Lady Lynesse jumped on the one thing she saw that might safe her. 

" I now see my husband has not fully found his way back to honour your Grace, he even dares to speak to you without curtesy. Calling you by a pet name instead of giving you the respect that is your due. But under all his fault , he is still my husband, flawed as he might be."

Now even Ser Barristan lost it as Daario started to guffaw even louder, holding on to the table to stop himself from falling. Ser Barristan started laughing. The Queen meanwhile looked at the Lady like she was an idiot. 

Ser Barristan fell back into his courtly manners. "My Lady, it appears you are not truthful and lying to the Queen is a serious offense. Ser Jorah was using the title Khaleesi as a curtesy, you are in the Presence of Daenerys Targaeyen, Qeen of the seven kingdoms, mother of dragons, breaker of chains and khaleesi of the great grass sea, the Unburnt, Queen of Mereen."


	4. Dinner with the wife continued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn more about Lady Lynesse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it for about a good month now. I'm off early tomorrow , looking forward to dragoncon next weekend and wont have time to update this till October

Daenerys looked at the lady with disgust.

"Lady Lynesse, now that you have managed to insult myself, my advisor, my dead husband and child and my people, while having the temerity to my advisors adress of myself I would like a truthful answer of you. Nay I demand to know what brought you here and made you think you could disrespect a Queen?"

Lynesse gaped at the Queen.

" Your Grace I never meant any disrespect, I have not insulted your people, the Mereneese or the Unsullied and I did not mention your husband." She stammered. 

Daenerys was losing her temper. "Are you now accusing me of untruthfulness, Lady Concubine? You insulted my late husband, the great Khal Drogo of the Dothraki, our dead son, and my khalasar, you also insulted me, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. Even worse you lied into my face, questioned my rapport with my advisors and lied about one of my closest advisors honor."

Lynesse started shaking. "My Queen, I was not insulting you, only the savages I feared, I swear to you my words are true, how can you trust a man's word in matters of the heart. I know I was a weak woman and I'm not without fault in the situation, but I needed the protection... "

" You lied to me, to the Dragon Queen, and you keep lying. It might cost you your head Lady Concubine." 

Daenerys sneered at the obnoxious woman, who didn't know when to stop. " You are a shallow and obsessed with money and comfort, you dared to complain to me about the mistreatment of your husband, complaining about a mansion that was too small, three servants not being enough, two guards not being enough. It is sheer luxury compared to what my brother and I had to endure after fleeing and while hiding from the ursurper, I would have given much for a mansion, three servants and two guards. You are spoiled and selfish and weak and I would have you reveal your real reason for this visit to my court before feed you to my dragons for your lack of respect and your lies."

Ser Barristan tried to calm down the Queen while both Jorah and Daario were smirking at the gaping Lady.

" It would really be for the best to speak the truth, my lady. Her Grace does noot suffer liars and manipulation well. Your Grace, Grey Worm should return with the witnesses that will clear up any doubt of when Ser Jorah joined the Khalasar. We can then judge the Lady Lynesse with proof of her lies.It is not that I disbelief Ser Jorah's words, but proper procedure requires it."

Ser Jorah who had finally calmed down and lost his worry about hs wife's manipulative powers nodded. " Yes, Khaleesi, it would be only proper to have her lies exposed as such by uninvolved witnesses."Daario chuckled, but complained " It was amusing to watch her so sure of her words of manipulation, while being so oblivious to the reaction to her insults. Why not let her amuse us a bit longer. I think her next step will be seduction though she does not have that many options here. I was looking forward to her attempts to lead me by the cock."

"How dare you? I'm a married .." "Concubine" Daario finished her sentence loudly. " You are a concubine who willingly left her husband for a life in sin. I admit you are one of the most handsome women I've ever seen and I love women, but you will not suceed. I have seen the look you gave me when you entered, it is quite clear you planned on continuing on your dishonorable path and cuckold your husband with me."

Ser Jorah winced, he had hoped noone had picked up on his wife's interest in the sellsword.

Daenerys growled. " I command you to not interfere with my council this way Lady Lynesse. You will keep your hands and body to yourself while you stay in my territory. I will feed you to the dragons if you try to play my council against each other." 

At this point Grey Worm entered the room with three of her Dothraki.

Lady Lynesse visibly wilted and shrank back at the entrance of those 'savages', drawing closer to Ser Barristan, half in real fear and half caught up in the picture of the weak helpless Lady she was portraying. She tried to move behind the old knight in the hopes of him granting her his protection and maybe in the process softening to her.

Ser Barristan stepped to the side, in no mood to be used by that woman. He was re-evaluating his words to Ser Jorah in the counsil rooms about there being no honor on either side. It looked like this woman could possibly rival Queen Cersei in her manipulations (and in overestimating how far her looks and brains would get her, just like the Queen). Ser Jorah reminded him of Lord Eddard Stark in this moment, too caught up in his honor to catch ploys until it made him do desperate things to fix the situation. Though Lord Eddard wrongfully admitting to treason to save his daughters life was a lesser slight to his honor, than Ser Jorah's entrance into the slave trade to save his lands and to please his wife. He still disapproved but it lessened his contempt for the man and made him think that the council should talk about the lesson of both examples, so the Queen would not be lead astray by her honor and so they were aware of the pitfalls that came with the northern literal view on those honors. He knew best that honor was not black and white and easy, he winced remembering feeling torn by his honor about his vows and how he hated to be forced to witness the atrocities in King Aerys court, how hearing Queen Rhaelle be brutalized by te King more than once made him question if he was truy honorable.

Daenerys questioned her Dothraki about the first appearance of Ser Jorah and had Missandei translate it, so everyone would know what was said. 

It confirmed Ser Jorah's words and gave her a better timeline for his joining of the khalasar. 

"Lady Lynesse, as we now have proof of your lies, I demand that you tell us the true reasons for your presence here!"

Lady Lynesse sighed, stalling for time and hoping to find a way to phrase her reasons as positive as she could. 

" I came here for my husband's protection, as is my right as his wife. I recently fell out of favour with my Lord, and my position in his house was threatened by his new wife. Then I made the mistake to refuse to be his brood mare and kept taking moon tea and he was pressing me to have his child. I am not ruining my beauty for a child, especially not a bastard, it won't give me respect and losing my looks might get me thrown out." she produced some more tears. " I was afraid of being relegated to a mere concubine or even sold off as a pleasure slave so I decided to leave while I still had some power. My Lord thinks I went back to my family in Westeros - luckily he was in awe of my family name and didn't dare selling me, though I was aware he had been asked to. " She made herself look small and vulnerable.It was mainly the truth, his new wife was nearly as beautiful as her, very vengeful and once she'd have birthed a brat would have the power to insist on getting rid of any of the concubines. She still had quite some power , enough to be sent off with a small entourage, and she was sure her lover knew she was not aiming for Westeros but for Mereen. 

" I had truly been thinking of returning to my family in shame, if I could not find a new man in one of the other free cities, when I heard the news of my husband being your advisor and decided he was the one who would protect and feed and cloth me from now on."

Daario intervened. "This is not the full truth, help yourself girl and go with the truth while you still have a chance to live."

"Fine," she spat."While I am talking the truth about my failing position as favourite concubine, the reason I decided to go back to my husband is for his position, The wife of a close advisor of the Queen is a position of great honor, rivalling the one of the favourite concubine of the richest man in Lys. And once your Grace is taking back the Seven Kingdoms it'll surpass it. I will be revered, I will have all the jewels, dresses and comforts money can buy and we will live in the capital not on his stupid rock. I will have my choice of lovers and my dumb oaf of a husband will be busy enough with his duties that I can have all the lovers I want, and my position should even save me the worst of the gossip. My parents will be proud of me again and I will get to see my family again, triumphant." 

Everyone seemed taken aback. " It is my right as his lawfully wedded and bedded wife to be at his side. The Gods ..."

"No little Lady, the Gods will not be on your side in this, the side of the adulterer. I see you finally decided to show your true face." Daario interjected. 

" It might be your right as his wife to be back with him, but as his ruler I can order him to banish you to Bear Island or even a nunnery once we are back in Westeros. Or I could feed you to the Dragons now and save us all some troubles in the future." 

I " Or yout grace might have the marriage set aside and banish her. It would have the added benefit of enabling Ser Jorah to marry again to produce an heir for Bear Island. His wife certainly betrayed him enough to warrant being set aside." Ser Barristan added, for once compelled to actually help Ser Jorah instead of antagonizing him. 

You have a point Ser Barristan. For now, Black Rat, take the Lady to her room and lock her in, with guards on the doors. I will make my decision in time. She is not to leave her room. And Ser Jorah you are not allowed to enter them. Frankly none of my council are. We will be generous and sent you a maid with your meals and in the mornings Lady Lynesse. Maybe you'll look back fondly to the too small mansion and only three servants by the time I will make decision." 

Lady Lynesse was escorted out of the room.

Daario was laughing again. "What a piece of work you married, Jorah the Andal. Led by your cock by the lovly lady whore. Even I won't touch a manipulative chit like her." 

"She is the most vain shallow creature with no honor but such a lineage." Ser Barristan agreed.

Ser Jorah hung his head. " It was a big mistake, I admit. I never knew her for what she really is before we reached Lys. I had tried a marriage of convenience and the Old Gods punished me, my wife losing all our babes in the womb before succumbing with her last babe in the childbed. So I vowed to not marry for the same reasons again. I fell for the beautful vivacious Lady Lynesse with her strong constitution and envisioned beautiful children." Ser Jorah was talking to his Khaleesi and ignoring the others. " I apologize for the inconvenience she is to you now my Queen. I have long suffered and repented my choice in a second wife. If you want me to keep her and keep her under control, I will have her confined to our chambers wherever we may be. I might have to ask for an unsullied guard on the door though so she cannot tempt the guard with her wiles. I sm yours my Queen."

" I am not yet sure what to do with your wife, and we need to consider the political ramfications of whatever decision I make, my bear, but I agree you suffered enough." The Queen looked at her dearest friend. " If it ends up keeping your marriage is the best thing we can do, I will make it clear to her that giving you an heir is of the utmost importance. I will not let you suffer more than absolutely cannot be avoided. She will be allowed no influence and no more than the barest comforts until she stops treating you this way."

The private moment ended and she turned to her council. "We will talk about this another day. I am looking forward to your advice. For now we need to return to our dinner and the Volanteen matter, now that we can assume the richest man in Lys has not send her as a spy."


	5. The aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath.

Being escorted our of Dinner by one of the Queens Unsullied soldiers was not what Lynesse had expected. What had gone wrong? She had kept to her plans, faked love for her boring and old husband, she had played the weak girl well, she knew that. No one had ever questioned her version of events before. She knew it had been a risk to mention the Dothraki, but it was the only valid reason she could come up with for leaving her stout boring but oh so honorable husband.She preferred her old story, making him the bad dishonorable kidnapper who had bedded and wedded her against her will, it had worked wonders with Tregar Ormollen, and if he hadn't married that little bitch she'd still be ruling his house and harem. She gritted her teeth, no it was right to not attempt that story, it was too risky incase the Queen had Westerosi servants and she had been right, Ser Barristan would have caught her in that lie at once, He had seen her throw herself at Ser Jorah once that man had crowned her his Queen of Love and Beauty. 

No, she had chosen the right tale, but something still had gone so horribly wrong. 

She sighed following the Unsullied through the pyramid, and now she was stuck with a cockless soldier whom she could not manipulate as easy as she was wont to do. She had been hoping they would have her escorted by that delicious Second Son captain. That man did know a woman, he'd be her best chance to make it out of this gaffe. 

In another place the Queens council was similarly thinking about Lady Lynesses tale. The Queen had left the men and they all felt it time to needle Ser Jorah. 

"Really Ser Jorah, you never told us you married the most flighty and witless beauty you could find" Daario chuckled " Only three servants and two guards my Queen how could I survive like that?" he whimpered trying to copy Lynesse voice. 

All the men burst out in laughter including an unwilling Ser Jorah. 

"She miscalculated very badly there, Ser, what a spoiled little girl. " Ser Barristan chuckled. " And her attempt to use the Dothraki as a reason. It makes you wonder what she told Tregar Ormollen to get into his good grace, she couldn't have gone with the Dothraki at that time." 

The men chuckled but stopped when they saw the look on Ser Jorahs face, who was white with anger. 

" I can tell you that, she told him I bedded and wedded and kidnapped her from her family against her wishes. She spun a tale about me bringing her to Lys to hide her from her family until she was forced to bear my first child and her much richer family would have to grant us a keep. - Tregar Ormollen banished me from Lys on her word, threatened to kill me where I stood and might have, if he hadn't needed the sellswords to keep him safe and if those had not spoken up in my favour, they'd keep me out of Lys but they'd not condone him killing one of their better fighters for a concubine. "

Silence ensued. Ser Jorah was caught between his anger and remembered shame.

Even Daario had not met a woman as devious as that and he had a string of spurned and angry beauties he'd better avoid in his past.

Ser Barristan once again reevaluated his opinion on the matter. For once his honorable view on the situation turned out to be questionable. 

"Ser Jorah, having now met your lady wife I would like to ask one more question that could very easily shame you. What made you sell those men into slavery? What made you risk execution or banishment/ Everything I knew about you and everything I have witnesssed since I joined the Queens service shows you as an honourable man. I would have never epected the dishonourable act from you. I was so very surprised and disappointed in you which is nothing compared to the disappointment, anger and disbelieve Ned Stark experienced. We talked about it once, you know, we both agreed we did not think you capable of it and we both questioned our own mind and instincts for believing you one of the most honorable knights of King Roberts reign."

Ser Jorah looked up at Ser Barristan, pale and with an unbelieving eye. You talked about me with Ned Stark? Ned Stark was thinking about me that much? " He shook his head sadly " I know I not only angered but disappointed him, but I always thought it was because he demanded his level of honor of every man, I did not know or realize I disappointed him because he liked me." Restless Jorah stood up and started pacing " It pains me to know this, it makes me mourn for the liege Lord I thought had given up on me even before I sold the poachers. We visited Winterfell when I was married and Lynesse behavior around Lady Catelyn was atrocious. I could not reign her in, I was besotted and excused it as her age and I was sure Ned Stark despised me for being weak and the insult to his wife."

He continued pacing lost in thought. 

"No, Ser Jorah. While I heard of that event, too. Ned Stark did not disapprove of you until he heard how you were impoverishing your seat with extravagance shortly before you committed your crime. And even then he was only slightly disappointed and epected you to realize your error before ruining the family. Lynesse behavior was not so dissimilar to Lady Lyanna's well known antics. We now know the motivation behind Lynesse behavior is all bad, but Lyanna was wild and balked at courtesies and manners and Ned Stark was amused by Lynesse behavior and said he remembered the same look on Lady Catelyn's face when she was still betrothed to Brandon and met Lyanna.But what happened to make you sell poachers?"

Ser Jorah looked back at Ser Barristan "Lynesse happened. I know I was a besotted fool and nearly ruined Bear Island to give her everything she wanted. What I didn't know and what no one ever realized, my wife is selfish and accomplished liar who managed to get me and Bear Island into debt with a merchant lender from Volantis using my name and forging it. I had no choice but to find the money and fast to satisfy that debt or forfeit the island and have the pirate sellswords he had hired sell all of Bear Island into slavery. I chose to forfeit my honor instead and provide the man with enough slaves to satisfy the debt using poachers I caught on my land as well as a couple of fishermen we caught raping a Bear Island woman. All strong able bodied men so the price was good. I knew I would have to flee but I chose the price of my honor, title and home to a more important oath, defend and protect my loyal subjects and my family. I do regret selling men into slavery, I do regret ever marrying Lynesse, I do regret not trying to go to Lord Stark for a different solution to things but I do not regret saving my island. We are too remote for reenforcements to arrive in time and too used to fighting badly equipped wildlings and occasional Iron Islanders to fight off these kind of sellswords. At least this way only condemned men who would have lived a life of servitude and hardship paid my price."

Daario and Ser Barristan gaped at Ser Jorah, this was not what they expected, both had heard of the foolishness of using the merchant lenders from Volantis and of the repercussions of defaulting on their loans. 

Daario was the first to react. "Ser Jorah, we need you to tell this again tomorrow to our queen. I think we need her to know that sometimes honor can be split and allegiance can be compromised. "

Ser Barristan looked troubled. "There is even more to discuss with the Queen. It has become rather obvious to me that the queen does not have a good handle on Westerosi history. The version of Roberts Rebellion that reached her is tainted by Viserys hate and anger and the feelings of a boy on a disaster for his family. I am afraid of what he told her and the few things I heard her say make me wary of the hate and contempt and untruth she may have grown up with. I assume you did not bring up her fathers madness or her brothers follies with her Ser Jorah?"

"There was never time, Ser Barristan. I started to gently introduce her to Westerosi lore and history when she joined the khalasar, I presented her with books for her wedding to Khal Drogo. It never occured to me until much later that she had only Viserys word on the history of King Aerys reign and Roberts Rebellion. By the time I realized it, she was with Khal Drogo's child, her brother had shown himself as mad as King Aerys and reigning him in enough to keep him from getting killed by the Dothraki while trying to see to the khaleesi's safety took all my strength and wits. Then Viserys got himself killed by not only drawing a sword in Vaes Dothrak but also pointing it at his sister and threatening to cut her babe out of her. There was nothing I could do to safe him after that. The Khaleesi's safety seemed more important with an attempted assassination and her grief, and then the Khal died, her dragons were born and we fled for her and their safety into the Red Waste. Survival was the only thing on my mind. " He paused.

Ser Barristan and Daario were again gaping at him. 

"Many of the things you just said were not known to me, Ser Jorah. We need to call a meeting with council and we need to talk and share information about the past, not only of Westeros but also the past of our Queen. I knew rumours from Varys birds about the Queen being with child but they were never verified and while the queen mentioned her dead son we did not know when or how the child died. We knew Viserys was dead but we never learned how he died or that you witnessed it or that he was mad. "

Ser Jorah answered the question carefully:"There was a child, she named her unborn child Rhaego in a Dothraki ceremony in Vaes Dothrak, when Khal Drogo lay mortally injured fights broke out and the Khaleesi was pushed, it started her pains early and birth was early and hard and Rhaego was born dead. I do agree we need a council meeting to fill in the gaps in everyones knowledge. It needs to be as private as possible so we can be as honest as possible - and it should be soon. I would also like to know more about how you made it from King Aerys Kingsguard into Roberts Kingsguard and it would help our cause to know more about King Roberts court and family. My knowledge of Westeros is nigh on a decade old and information reaching us here are oft but rumours."

Daario and Ser Barristan both winced at hearing about Rhaego and nodded in agreement about the need for a meeting and more honesty. 

" I agree, we need you both and the queen to fill everyone in, an inner council where every councillor only knows part of the whole is ripe for deception. If we had not had information about Lynesse from Jorah and Ser Barristan, if Jorah had not told us about how they met with Ser Barristan also having witnessed the truth, if Lynesse had not misstepped with every word, if she'd decided to go with the story she had told her lover without our Queen having the word of two advisors on the real story, she may have been able to drive a wegde into our council and be believed. It is a well known tactic to divide and conquer and our Queen has need of a strong and secure council. She also needs to know the truth about the history of Westeros and her families downfall lest her enemies can lie their way into her council with her missing too much information."

"There is one more truth that may put my honor in question. I beg your leave to be allowed to tell my queen this myself. I swore an oath to her brother when I first met the queen. With his knowledge I sent reports to Illyrio Mopatis about state of plans of Viserys invasion plans. In one of the letters I mentioned that the Khalasar would first move to Vaes Dothrak due to Daenerys being with child and the ceremony required. I did not know that Mopatis was not a true ally - he is one of Varys birds. When I next checked for mail in a market town I received a royal pardon from King Robert. Minutes later I stopped an assassination attempt by poisoning in the market. I never wrote to Mopatis again but I also did not tell the queen of my failure and why I was warning her that Mopatis could not be trusted.. I felt so ashamed and the danger was easily avoided. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the long wait. 
> 
> I also apologise for the small non Canon explanation of the pardon by King Robert. My head Canon for the TV adaption is that Ser Jorah agreed to spy on Viserys and kept spying because Viserys was crazy and Ser Jorah knew after Aerys madness Westeros could not survive another mad king. In my head Canon Jorah stopped spying with Viserys death because he could believe in Daenerys. And then he made the mistake to not to admit to his sins to his queen before he got caught and had no chance to explain himself
> 
> This didn't fit with my storyline either so I decided on going a different way without ignoring the way we first learned that he was betraying her. I hope it's not that jarring


	6. All cards on the table

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The promised exchange of informations starts. What will be learnt ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm debating about adding the tag fix-it. It's not truly a fix it, but it does fix some of the issues the lack of an exchange of inormation between the Queen and especially her Westerosi advisors creates in the show. Plus her weird idea of the motivations behind Robert's Rebellion and her lack of knowledge about how her father earned the title mad king influenced her decisions in a bad way, so in a way it might count as a partial fix it?

After their evening all of the men spent more time thinking than sleeping. Daenerys found herself similar pre-occupied, thinking about manners and gentle ladies and her court, her poor bear was in a very poor situation. 

Lynesse was still pondering where she had gone wrong and how to salvage the situation. She wanted power, she wanted the money, the pretty things, she had been sure her plan would work. If she had only known ... she'd have stayed on with Tregar for a bit longer, for now the bitch had not been pregnant yet, and Lynesse was rather clever, she might have found a way to get her hands on some tansy. 

It was too late for these thoughts though, no doubt the Dragon Queen would keep her locked up until her future was decided. Maybe she could make the Queen believe it would be very bad for her reputation to have a married man in her inner circle shun his wife. A nice little bit of story telling about the reaction of the Septons and maesters might still do the trick, and then she'd have time later to argue for the need for a very decent wardrobe and jewels , it would all reflect on her reign and inner council after all . 

The next morning the queen and her inner council met up to break their fast and plan the decisions for the day. Unsullied were sent out to supervise the treatment of the first volunteers by the Masters during the harvest, others were sent out to make proclamations and find them more volunteers to bring in the harvest for now. 

With this most pressing matter out of the way Ser Barristan decided to beg the queen for an audience with the closest circle. Daenerys, Ser Jorah, Ser Barristan, Grey Worm, Daario and Misssandei soon sat together in the Queen's private solar.

Ser Barristan opened the meeting after the servants who had left wine and fruit left the room. 

"The audience with Lady Lynesse has brought up a number of issues we need to discuss, your grace. It was clear that the Lady expected you to believe her and to destabilise the inner council further than just disgracing Ser Jorah with her plans to then seduce Daario. " The queen sat up in her seat. 

"We realized there are a number of things we have never talked quite openly about, your grace, and this leaves us open for attacks, for good liars to sow dissent in the inner council and destablize your reign." Ser Barristan sighed."We all of us decided that we need to open up about our pasts and past mistakes that could be used against us, and, your grace I beg your pardon, that includes the history of your family, of Roberts Rebellion." 

"I know all about the ursurper and his dog, Ser Barristan." 

"Beg your pardon, your Grace, you do not. A few of the things I have heard have made it clear, that Viserys was too young or too angry to give you a good accord, he was also hiding on Dragonstone with her Majesty your mother. " 

The Queen looked ready to spit fire, so Ser Jorah intervened. "Khaleesi, Ser Barristan is right, Viserys did not know as much as he claimed to know. He was a young boy, and he might have been shielded from a lot. But you also know his hate, his cruelty and that the coin had fallen on the wrong side with him. I was there and I realized some of what he said was not accurate, but I could never find the time to actually figure out how much of what he told you was a figment of his imagination and how much was the true history. There just wasn't any time between his death, the assassination attempt on you, the Lambpeople, the red waste and Quarth when survival was all and then the campaign here. We had so much more important matters at hand, survival for one."

Ser Barristan, Daario and Grey Worm had jumped up at the mention of an assassination attempt. 

Ser Jorah gestured to their reaction," Another reason we need to fill in the blanks in everyones knowledge.\We realized yesterday how easy it could have been to play us against each other if you had not known who to trust, and enough about my personal history to doubt my wife's word. Each of us has a past, with things that could be used against us."

Ser Barristan took over "We realized that the limited knowledge of history provided by Viserys could lead you to trust the wrong people. We also realized you and all of us have been putting to much faith in honor and 

no thought about reasons to change allgiance and about such deviousness as Lady Lynesse."

Ser Jorah sighed, "But before we begin,my Queen, I have to beg for your indulgence to listen to my next words before judging me." He knelt at her feet already looking abjectly defeated, "My Queen we just spoke about allegiance, honor and your brothers words. On his Graces order I sent word of the movement of the Khalasar to Mopatis. Viserys wanted him kept up on the movement of 'his' army.The last letter I sent on Viserys order mentioned that the Khalasar was headed towards Vaes Dothrak for the horse heart ceremony and that nothing would be able to convince a Khal to turn his attention across the sea until his wife had been blessed." 

Ser Jorah sighed and gently took one of the Queens hands "I swear to you, your grace, I did not mention more, but Mopatis knew enough about Dothraki customs to know what the horse heart ceremony meant. What neither Viserys nor I knew was that Mopatis was in league with the Spider, Varys the master of Whispers in Kings Landing." The Queen hissed , Ser Jorah let his head fall forward and continued. "The day the wine merchant tried to kill you I received a letter from Mopatis, it thanked me for my duty and that the Baratheon King had decided to reward me with a Royal Pardon in exchange for the warning of the imminent birth of another dragon. " The Queen tried to pull her hand from her knight's grip, "Khaleesi, I didn't know, your brother was so sure Mopatis was his best ally, minutes later the behavior of that wine merchant caught my attention and suspicion. I had no knowledge of what the Ursurper would do with the information I just learnt I had given to a turncoat, But I knew the behavior of that wine merchant was suspicious, so I stopped him, he could have killed you and Rhaego. Forgive me your grace, Khaleesi for having failed you so bad." Tears dripped on their joined hands from the knights bowed head.

Ser Barristan took this as a cue to interject into the discussion. "This is a further reason we need to talk about the past and about our own experiences. Your brother trusted the man who gave him an army and he was deceived. Each of us has knowledge about potential allys and enemies but we never shared it with each other, we never made sure our information on a person agreed to him being trustworthy. I knew there was a connection between Mopatis and the Spider but I did not know her grace had met Mopatis. From what I heard in the free cities certain quarters knew he had a connection to Westeros, so Daario might have had suspicions too."

Daario nodded, "I knew he had connections with Westeros, but I also know he had a Blackfyre wife so I would have told your grace to be very careful in his presence."

The Queen had been listening half heartedly to the men after Ser Jorah's words but the hard truth she just realized was that she herself would have sent word to Mopatis in her brothers place, she had planned to do so from Quarth even. She had trusted the man who gifted her with the dragon eggs. The Dragon eggs. "I understand you were following orders, my bear, orders similar to the ones I gave you in Quarth when you councilled me to refrain from writing to him. I never realized that someone must have told the Ursuper of my babe for him to try and kill it, too. I trusted Mopatis . He gave me the Dragon Eggs, which now seems to be a bit suspect too. I am glad he did, for I love my children, but he must have had a reason." 

Ser Jorah was still kneeling at her feet, while the other men had stiffened. "Your grace there are so many new questions and information today, we really must share our information, but I think it would help to start with our information on the Rebellion and work our way to this day, and one of us should note down all our questions and important information."

The queen nodded, "Ser Jorah, what happened to the pardon?' "I broke the seal but kept the letter because I wanted to show you, your grace, once the shock of the murder attempt had left, but I lost it when we fled into the Red Waste. I had not planned to keep Mopatis deceptiom to myself but it fell to the side while trying to keep you safe Khaleesi."

"I forgive you, Ser Jorah, I myself planned to give the turncloak information that could have doomed me.But in the future do not ever again keep something like that a secret from your Queen! What if you had died from the wound you got when we left the Khalasar or if the Red Waste had killed you. If I had managed to survive without you, not likely but I might have, I would have written to Mopatis and signed my own death."

A stunned Ser Jorah looked up at the Queen, this thought had never entered his mind. "Khaleesi.."

"Let us sit together, rise Ser Jorah, and I will listen to your words on the Rebellion. You are right. I need more information. I need to know friend from foe. I need to listen to all my councils words on the trustworthiness of possible allies,"

"My Queen," Ser Barristan took back the lead as they all sat down again, "it might be easier to know what Visery told you first."

Missandei who had been quietly translating for Grey Worm reminded them all. "I will call for paper and a quill so we can write down everything." 

"Missandei can you be the scribe for this? I do not want to have someone not of the inner council in this room." 

It was agreed that Missandei would be the scribe though after an interjection from Ser Jorah who had recovered from the ordeal of telling his queen about his failure, there was paper and quill infront of everyone to make their own notes.

\--- The story / history of Robert's Rebellion ---

Daenerys tried to remember all her brother had told her about the rebellion. 

"Viserys told me that the Ursurper was a loud, brash and strong Lord who was not happy being the Lord of Stormsend and the Stormlands. He was a great warrior and he craved more power, but he also blamed my father for the loss of his parents even though his parents drowned in a storm and even as great a King as Aerys could not command the weather. But the Lord swore vengeance and managed to turn the Vale and the North against the throne. Together they started an unjust war against the reigning monarch and the Ursurper Robert Baratheon swore to eridicate all those of Dragonblood. My older brother Rhaegar was stabbed in the back instead of being given the honor of a real fight and the Ursurper and his dog, the Warden of the north , then set out to kill my sister in law and niece and nephew. In Kings Landing the Warden of the West and former Hand Lord Tywin Lannister betrayed the crown and sacked Kings Landing while his vile son the Kingslayer killed my family. At this point the vile Ursurper declared my brother dead and claimed the throne for himself having no connection to the royal family and no right to the throne.."

Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan looked at each other pained by the words of their Queen. 

"There is very little truth in this, my Queen. Ser Barristan was a kingsguard and witness to a good deal of what will now be told to you. Please Khaleesi, listen to him."

Ser Barristan sipped at his wine."The history of Robert's Rebellion or the war of the ursurper cannot be explained without going further back in history. The truth is there is a reason for the saying that the gods flip a coin everytime a Targaeryen is born. The tragedy of Summerhall formed the person King Aerys would be, it is assumed that his father King Aegon attempted to hatch dragon eggs and instead burnt the palace down around himself and his family, King Aegon, Prince Duncan and a lot of others died, the only survivors of the direct line were King Aerys, Queen Rhaella, your brother Rhaegar who was born the day Summerhall burnt and Maester Aemon who was already the Maester of Castle Black. The next closest in the line of inheritance was Steffon Baratheon, first cousin to Aerys. " 

A confused look entered Daenerys eyes, while Ser Jorah made his first note on his paper, 'What happened to the eggs King Aegon tried to hatch?'

"King Aerys was doing well reigning Westeros with the help of his Hand Lord Tywin Lannister, until he grew suspicious of Lord Tywin, which while not totally unwarranted given what we knownow, turned into paranoia and a contest between King and Hand, until the defiance of Duskendale. A dispute with the Lord of Duskendale over taxes, the Lord tricked the King into becoming his captive and his captive he stayed for months while the Lord of Duskendale and the Hand were trying to reach an agreement. It looked dire for the King trapped in Duskendale, when I offered the Hand to rescue the King in a covert mission. I managed to save Aerys but not without a price, an arrow through the chest for me but worse a slipping mind for the King who lost himself more and more in paranoia and an unhealthy love of fire." 

Ser Barristan sighed. 

"The King grew worse, burning subjects, acting erratically, seeing everyone as his enemy, especially your brother Rhaegar the crown prince. He started to be brutal with your Lady mother the Queen, and cruel to your brother. He blamed the Queen for the lack of further heirs and especially for the fact that there was no daughter to marry Rhaegar to and keep the bloodline pure. Around this time he sent the Ursurpers father, his own cousin Steffon and his wife to Essos to find a bride for Rhaegar who had at least Valyrian blood if there was no Targaeryen blood to be had. Lord Steffon's ship sunk on the way home, in sight of Storms End in a bad storm. Therefore explaining why Viserys remembers Lord Robert Baratheon blaming King Aerys for his parents death, his parents were on a mission for the King when their ship sank. Viserys barely remembers the Kings detoriating mind as both your older brother and the queen as well as the Kings Guard and nurses did their best to keep Viserys far away from his father. Your father chose Elia Martell as Rhaegars bride after there was no Valyrian option and in a way to further humiliate Tywin who had offered his daughter and whose son was at one point rumoured to be a match for Elia Martell. Then he hit Lord Lannister again by making his son a Kings Guard, youngest member ever, and not one who volunteered or fought for the position. It is believed King Aerys made him a Kingsguard to deprive Lord Tywin of an heir as his wife had died giving birth to a second deformed son. "

Ser Barristan took a long drink. 

" The Lords were unhappy about the deteriorating health and mind of the King, but while it was probably not just the Kings paranoia making him believe his Lords would prefer his son to be King very soon, I do not think a rebellion was likely at this point. The Tourney of Harrenhall was the changing point, when Prince Rhaegar won the joust but crowned Lady Lyanna Stark, the betrothed of Lord Robert Baratheon, the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, as his Queen of Love and Beauty instead of his wife Elia. Then Rhaegar abbsconded with Lyanna Stark.It was said that Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna Stark and took her hostage. Her father and brother rode to Kings Landing to demand their daughter and sister back and the King grew angry with a Lord making demands of a Prince and a King. It did not help that a hotheaded Brandon Stark, Lyanna's brother demanded satisfaction in form of the head of the crown prince for the crime of stealing the daughter of the Warden of the North. He accused the Lords of treason and demanded all other members of the family to be aprehended for the same fate. When Lord Rickard Stark demanded trial by combat the King named fire his champion and burnt the Lord Paramount and Warden of the North in the throne room while his son choked to death trying to reach a weapon to save his father."

Daenerys looked horrified. 

"Even then war might have been avoided by ordering Rhaegar to hand Lady Lyanna back to her family and banishing the boy for a few years or naming Viserys heir over him. Instead King Aerys declared it was treason and demanded the head of the other Stark brothers and Lord Robert Baratheon, his own kin. Lord Robert and the next eldest Stark Eddard Stark were squiring with and fostered by Lord Robert Arryn Lord Paramount of the Vale, Lord Robert was a mere twenty namedays old and Lord Eddard was 19 and the thurd Stark brother was a boy of 14. They refused to die for the Kings orders and for Rhaegar's crime, and allied with the other Lords who saw their sovereignity and heirs threatened by the mad King. One of the most important was House Tully, whose daughter had been betrothed to the late Brandon Stark, and who was now in need of a new betrothal. Lord Tywin stayed neutral until the sack of Kings Landing but an alliance of the Lord Paramounts of the North, the Vale, the Riverlands and the Stormlands left the King with only two of the seven kingdoms to call on, the Reach and Dorne, and Dorne was rather reluctant to come to the aid of the crown after the insults to the House of Martell, with Rhaegar leaving his wife and the King being very dismissive of his grandchildren..

The King in his paranoia worsened a bad situation that had been started by his son, and instead of smoothung things over was made worse by the Kings demands. 

Or to sum it up your grace, the war was not started by the Ursurper's wish for power and might but by missteps by both Prince Rhaegar and the mad King himself and aggravated by a signed death warrant for flimsy reasons. I am not saying that the Ursurper was right and I am definitely saying crimes were commited by their side, but the spark that ignited this was coming from the crown. I do blame Robert Baratheon for the slaughter of the children of Elia Martell and Rhaegar and for the fact that he took the throne from the rightful heir after King Aerys was dead, as well as for a number of bad mistakes during his rather disappointing reign, but I cannot name a man who would have laid down to have his head chopped of or calmly walked on his pyre to be burnt to death for unjust reasons. King Robert called the dead babes dragonspawn, and claimed he wanted to rid the world of all dragonspawn which shows he might have had more Targaryean blood than he was aware of, as he was a close cousin to the King and he himself was blood of the Dragons. "

Ser Jorah meanwhile noted down. 'Was Lyanna Stark truly kidnapped? Where was Lyanna during the war? Could the she-wolf be forcibly kept hostage for that long?What made the King give those mad orders? How angry is Dorne with the main Targaryean line ?'

Ser Jorah took over at that point. 

"We should revisit some points still, One there was a direct battle between Rhaegar and Robert and Robert caved Rhaegars chest in with his war hammer, there was no coward attack from the back, both Ser Barristan and I were there albeit on different sides, I fought for my overlords the Starks and he for his Prince. Ser Barristan was badly wounded though before Rhaegar fell. He was taken captive at the battle. Ser Tywin Lannister is the Lord of the scum that killed Rhaegars wife and children and he did so before we ever reached Kings Landing with our army. It has long been a riddle why Aerys opened the gates for Tywins army. Ser Gregor Clegane the Mountain that rides killed Aegon by bashing the babe's head in, he raped and murdered Elia and it is rumoured he murdered her son first and did brutalize her with her dead son's blood on his hands, another of Lord Lannisters henchmen called Lorch stabbed little Rhaenys over a dozen times. " 

A sob from the Queen made Ser Jorah stop, Missandei looked horrified, Daario for once lost his nonchalance this level of sadistic filth was even above what the sellsword was used to.

Ser Jorah rose to kneel down next to his queen and handed her a goblet of wine, then kneeling at her feet again he continued his words. "When our troops entered the King was dead, killed by Ser Jaime Lannister, the Lannister Lord presented Robert with the bodies of the Royal family still bloody wrapped in Lannister cloaks and Lord Stark exploded, demanding justice for the murdered babes and their mother. Robert refused and honorable Eddard Stark quarreled with him and then left to find his sister. He found her dead and Lord Tywin managed his long held ambition and married his daughter to a king. Once Storms End had been freed from the siege, Robert sent his brother Stannis to deal with your mother and Viserys. We did not know that the Queen was aboout to give birth at Dragonstone. "


	7. History and loyalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More on history loyalty and Roberts rebellion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry rather short chapter.  
> Also I'm using a mix of book and TV show canon and some other irregularities can also be blamed on point of view and the knowledge of the characters telling the tale. If you are a asoiaf or game of thrones buff please remember the retelling is from the view of unreliable narrators not an all knowing third person

Silence fell over the room while everyone waited for the Queen to react to her history lesson.

They were by no means finished with their talk but felt like a moment of silence was needed. The three non-westerosi members of the council were taken aback by the difference between the tales.

After everyone had had some wine they continued. 

Ser Barristan took over again.

"Here again we have the proof that sharing the information we have is important. As you know your Grace, Ser Jaime stayed in the Kingsguard as a brother of the new queen. After a drunken night he once told a tale of a part of the night of the Sack of Kings Landing. He told us it was Maester Pycelle who urged the King to open the gates to the city, while Ser Jaime tried to warn the King against it, he also mused that it was amusing that two Lannisters sabotaged each other there. The important information about who convinced the King to see Lord Tywin as an ally and to open the gates is no longer a secret. As far as I know Grand Maester Pycelle is still the maester of the Red Keep. Ser Jaime also admitted that once it was clear Lord Tywin was a foe instead of a friend the King ordered the beheading of Lord Tywin and sent his own son to bring the head to the throne.- split loyalties are a pitfall we need to be aware of."

Ser Jorah noted down 'Keeping track of the family loyalties of measters, septons and Kingsguards. Was there anything else to the Kingslayers story? Why were Elia and the young prince and princess in the Red Keep instead of being safe at Dragonstone? Keep drunk guards from spilling secrets. Who was guarding the Royal family apart from Ser Jaime, where were all the Kingsguards?'

Ser Jorah sighed. "While we are sharing information about the Rebellion , Ser Barristan were there ever any questions about what happened to Lady Lyanna Satrk? From the first moment I could not understand how the Prince was able to hold her hostage over such a long time. Lady Lyanna was wild, she rode like the wind, she fought like a wolf, and she bucked the authority of her father all the time. She was no shrinking violet who'd easily been held captive. I can see her being taken hostage, the Prince used to travel with some of the best fighters in the world, but how and where did they keep her for so many months?"

"Her brother found her dying in a tower in Dorne of all places. He says she died from a fever, but there have been rumours that Dorne was the worst place to keep the woman Rhaegar was cuckolding his wife with. None of the Kingsguard survived the fight, Ned Stark claims he and his men fought them to the death and won though not without losses. There have been whispers that the Red Viper found them first and they were all already dying of a slow poison. It would make sense, no one beat the Sword of the Morning in a duel, but if he was already weakend it could happen. Others say they gave up with no Targaeryen left to keep safe and with their honor forfeit. I do not know what the truth is. Only Ned Stark and his surviving banner men who were there know and we cannot ask Lord Stark anymore."

The Queen hissed: " I am not interested in hearing about the bitch who seduced my brother!"

"Khaleesi, I knew Lady Lyanna Stark. She was not a woman who would seduce a man, she was wild and had the hot wolf blood but she bucked tradition and acted mannish and was not interested in betrothals or men, she rode through the woods like a wildling, according to her brother Benjen she snook off to play with swords and 'train' , she proclaimed the world was unfair to women and wanted to be a knight instead of a wife. She also was very young,14 namedays old when the Prince, a grown man abducted her. She did abhor her betrothed Lord Robert though. According to Benjen Stark Lord Robert had bastards already."

Ser Barristan interjected. "Had bastards is the right word, Robert Baratheon had a number of bastards before and after he married Cersei Lannister. It is rumoured that the Queen gave orders to kill all of her late husbands bastard get after his death, from the grown boys to the babe in arms. With Stannis Baratheon claiming that Robert had no legitimate heirs, this could mean there is some truth to the proclamation. It is said all Baratheon are born black haired with blue eyes, King Joffrey, Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen are all golden haired like their mother. I do not know much more as the Queen Regent had her son dismiss me from my post as commander of the Kingsguard and as Kingsguard in favor of putting the Kingslayer into my position. "

Ser Jorah took over again,. "After Robert Baratheon was crowned King and married Cersei Lannister the realm healed slowly, the Dornish called for justice for their slain Princess and her children but the influence of the Lannisters at court was such that they did not even have to sacrifice the henchmen who got their hands dirty. The Dornish rattled their chains but in the end were forced to accept the Kings decision which led to a temporary excile of the younger Prince, the Red Viper who was still baying for blood It is said that Prince Oberyn spent time in Essos and might still have connections here in Essos.

When the Ironborn under the order of the Greyjoys started attacking the coasts and declaring their own independent King. The Iron Throne suppressed the Rebellion but only after the coast had been raided and Lannisport had been attacked. I was the second through the breach after Thoros of Myr, and my knighthood was earned in this battle. Lord Eddard Stark took the heir of the Iron Islands Theon Greyjoy as his ward and the Greyjoys were allowed to keep their Lordship secured by the hostage. It is an uneasy peace and raiders from the Island are still often seen, though its single ship pirate attacks and not the organized war and the Greyjoys claim them traitors."

"The only information I can add here is that the King was never good at peace and had created discord in his own family by giving Storm's End and the Lord Paramount title to his youngest brother Renly after the middle brother and legal heir Stannis who defended Storm's End in a long siege against the loyalist troops was given Dragonstone. Lord Stannis, who does not mince words made it quite clear that he did not agree with his brother's decision but obeyed his King. The Lannisters and their vassals slowly wormed their way into important positions in court, only failing to get Lord Tywin re-installed as the Hand. The honor of the title of Hand went to Lord Jon Arryn and both of the King's brothers got places in the Kings Council, but when Lord Arryn died of a fast and suspicious illness , the King rode all the way to Winterfell to get Lord Eddard Stark to agree to be his next Hand and to keep the influence of the Lannisters at bay. He also betrothed his son Joffrey to Lady Sansa Stark, Lord Starks eldest daughter to the horror and loud complains of the Queen. While the King and his entourage were out hunting with Lord Stark, the middle Stark boy fell while climbing on a tower and got badly injured. A conflict between the Lannisters and the Starks broke out with Lady Stark claiming Lannisters were trying to kill her son Brandon. Lady Stark took Lord Tywins younger son Tyrion Lannister hostage which led to the Kingslayer and a group of Lannister soldiers attacking Lord Stark and his entourage in broad daylight in Kings Landing. Lord Tyrions champion won him his trial by combat and he was freed.When King Robert died, he signed a will that made Lord Stark the Regent for Prince Joffrey, but Queen Cersei destroyed the document and had Lord Stark locked up in the Black Cells. The Lannister troups then apprehended Lady Sansa and killed the Starks entourage. The younger Stark daughter Lady Arya vanished during the upheaval. We know the eldest Stark son Robb called the Banners to safe his father when he was commanded to present himself in Kings Landing and with the help of his maternal family the Tully's they convened the army in the Riverlands. There they did have some decicive victories and took Jamie Lannister hostage. Against the council of just about everyone including the Queen Regent Joffrey Baratheon had Eddard Stark beheaded on charges of treason on the steps of the Sept of Baelor. Stannis Baratheon declared himself King on the claim that Joffrey Baratheon was a bastard and that made Stannis the legal heir of Robert, Renly Baratheon declared himself King, Lord Starks Bannermen declared him King of the North, and somewhere in that Chaos of claimants Lord Greyjoy decided to join the merry round and declared himself King too. Thus the War of the five Kings started."

Ser Jorah was looking at his notes: 'Lannister influence, how far does it go? Can we trust the Dornish? Do we have contacts of Prince Oberyn amongst our allies or visitors? Was Lord Arryn killed? Did the Lannisters kill him? Why would the Lannisters try to kill the second Stark son? Who was in charge, the Queen Regent, the Hand or the boy King?How could they avoid split loyalities like with the Baratheon brothers?'


	8. An inside view on more history

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The talk continues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more kinda recap chapter before I get the story moving again, Please remember point of views and memories of the characters colour what they recall and tell, also poetic license it looked like the Hound saw and heard Littlefinger telling Sansa about the burns and I decided Ser Barristan heard it too

It was a hard day for everyone on the council and it was not over yet. 

Ser Jorah sighed. Daenerys looked at him. 

"What happened to Lord Stannis order to take Dragonstone. I only know from Viserys that Ser Willem Darry escorted us to Essos and that I killed my mother."

"Khaleesi, you did not kill your mother!"

" Your Grace, that is more than simplified. Your not responsible for the death of your mother." 

Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan were quick to inject. 

Ser Barristan took over. " While the news we got do tell that Queen Rhaella died after giving birth this does omit a lot. You must remember that the Queen had just been widowed, lost her son and his wife and both her grandchildren, the kingdom was taken from her family and she knew she and her children would be on the run. The Queen had also suffered much in her married life her brother and husband had been furious about the low amount of babies that survived to be birthed, he blamed her for not having a daughter of an age to marry to Rhaegar and then for her not at least producing one to marry to Viserys. He blamed her in his paranoia for Rhaegar's assumed encroaching on his throne. In his madness he brutalized the Queen often. I remember realizing that we had grown too placid about the happenings in their bedchamber when I was guarding the bedchambers with Ser Jaime and had to force him to stay on his post while he argued that our duty was to keep the royal family from harm and the Queen needed us. It was hard for him and for us to accept that it was not our duty to keep the Queen safe from the King. T'was harder for him but his arguments made us realize that the day might come when the King would kill his Queen and that our oath would keep us from preserving her life."

A sob from the Queen stopped Ser Barristan in his tracks. Ser Jorah was back to kneeling at her feet while Daario was plying the Queen with wine. 

Sighing Ser Barristan hurried through the rest of his explanation. 

"We knew the Queen was weak from the Kings treatment and being with child made it harder on her, we know the Queen was in mourning and we do know that a big storm hit Dragonstone just around the time of your birth that smashed much of the still loyal fleet and kept help from the Queen. We also know the Maester of Dragonstone perished in the storm so there was no one to help her. It is known that even healthy women in good condition in a rich keep die in childbed. It is not the babe's fault when that happens. It is in the hand of the Gods. The Gods granted you life in a very inhospitable situation which is quite a boon. Daenerys Stormborn no matter what your brother said, you did not kill your mother. He was young and I doubt he could comprehend what he saw. - Stannis fleet was hindered by the storm too which gave Ser Willem the chance to flee and safe Viserys and you. Stannis found Dragonstone empty of all but ship wrecks and returned to his brother without fulfilling his orders. It would be moons before we learnt that anyone had survived and that there was a second Targaryen child. We had assumed the fleet was in process of leaving when the storm hit and that the ship carrying the royal family had sunk. Robert was furious to learn that any Dragonspawn had survived but Jon Arryn his hand managed to make it clear to him, that rebuilding was more important than hunting you down, and that Westeros could not afford to send a fleet to pick you up as the Free Cities would see it as a precursor to war to send a fleet over."

Daenerys was looking at him.

"But he did send assassines !"

" Yes, your Grace but not for many moons, Only when Balon Greyjoy declared himself King it reminded the King of other contestants to the throne. That was when he first send someone to kill you. It wouldn't be until Viserys married you to a Khal with an army of thousands that he ordered a contract for your life to be put out. It was discussed with the Small Council when news reached us of a rumour of you being with child and he ordered the contract. Ned Stark was the Hand by then and vehemently protested sending assassines after you. He told the King he would have no part in it and when the King told him that as Hand he would have to follow the order he handed in the pin of the Hand and quit."

"Ned Stark tried to save my life?" the Queen sounded very startled.

"Lord Eddard Stark would never stand for the killing of children or dishonorable acts like hiring assassines, Khaleesi."

"Ser Jorah, you told me you hate the man"

" A part of me does Khaleesi, because I lost my home to his sense of honor. But to be truthful I did break the law, and my banishment is on me."

" And on your bitch of a wife, Jorah the Andal" Daario entered the discussion. 

" If Ned Stark had a fault it was his honor and Loyalty and his refusal to see that others were not following the same honor code. He never saw fault in King Robert until the reaction to the slain babes. He never saw the cruelty and madness of Prince Joffrey, even though the signs were there until he had no chance to break his daughter's betrothal to the Prince, he trusted Peter Baelish, because the man was a childhood friend of Lady Catelyn, even though a man who is known for making his money with brothels has no honor and is not one to be trusted. He never saw the cunning and underhanded ways of the Lannisters until the Queen Regent had him locked away in the Black Cells. - But he quarreld with the King to an untold degree twice, both times for Targaryen children. He was horriefied by the King's views of them as Dragonspawn and by the King's acceptance of the way Rhaenys and Aegon were slain. Others agreed that while the children had to die to end the dynasty they should have died more peacefully, Lord Eddard would not accept that they had to die at all, and he could not accept that the men who slaughtered them did not face justice. He could not accept that you had to die either, especially as he did not see the Khalassar as a threat, the Dothraki would not cross the sea. Do not mistake the man though my Queen, had you invaded he would have been duty bound to face you on the battlefield to defend the Iron Throne - but he would have never been the one to strike first."

Ser Jorah had grabbed his notes and added to them - 

' No mention of Kingsguard on Dragonstone either, where were they, why did they not leave Lady Lyanna to defend the last living members of the royal family and their new King Viserys? Who agreed that the whole dynasty had to be killed including babes, they'd not to be trusted either. Was there anyone else on the Small council disagreeing with the Kings order? How can we collect allies so we are not seen as an invading force? -The Lords are dutybound to defend the King.Who has a sense of duty that strong to become a problem. How mad is the Prince - the new King? Could the madness be enough to get us allies in Westeros, enough of the Lords still remember Aerys.

Coming out of silent contemplation the Queen looked to Daario."What do you mean it was the fault of Ser Jorah's wife?"

Ser Jorah hung his head. "My banishment was my fault, if I hadn't been so blinded to my wife's failings if I had been a stronger husband..."

Daario snorted "What the Andal who was led by his cock is trying to say is that his wife manipulated his sorry carcass. One of the reasons we decided it was this dire to talk about old history is what he told us yesterday about the truth of his reasons for selling slaves. His wife had accrued debts in his name with the merchant lenders of Volantis. They are well known for their ruthless ways in getting their loans repaid. His choice was selling some poachers and rapists and repay the debt or watch as the pirates contracted by the merchant raided his island, burnt down the houses and take every soul on the islands into slavery. Apparently Bear Island is very remote and not well fortified and help from the North would not have arrived in time. He made a choice between his honor and the lives of his subjects and here we are."

The Queen demanded "Why did you have to flee? Couldn't you just explain your reasons to Lord Stark?"

"I might have been able to, my Queen, but I was proud and certain I loved my wife and the law is the law and I was not sure what explaining it would have done to my sentence. Possibly the Wall instead of the Sword, but I did not want to go to the Wall either and face the disappointment of my father who is Lord Commander of the Nightswatch."

"So apart from the lying and manipulating she did yesterday, this is who your wife truly is?"

"She told tales in Lys, too. Again they nearly cost me my head. She told Tregar Ormollen that I had forcefully bedded, wedded and taken her from her rich family, keeping her with me as a captive until she would bear an heir and this would force her family to pay me off by giving us a keep. The Sellswords kept me alive, doubting the words of a concubine and wanting my fighting skills."

Ser Jorah hung his head.

The Queen's temper broiled . " I should feed her to my dragons!"

"My Queen we should calmly find a way to deal with Lady Lynesse, should it ever become known you fed her to your dragons without due process it would remind the Seven Kingdoms too much of Aerys mad days, it would also turn the Reach and their allies away from you and the Reach was home to most of the longest lasting Royalists in the war. Lady Lynesse is a Hightower, they are one of the oldest houses and they have Oldtown. Lord Mance Tyrells wife is a Hightower, too. It could cost us heavily. I agree we need to deal with the Lady but we need to do it with some diplomatic skill."

" I cannot allow the Lady Concubine any influence on my court or any of my advisors! She will feel the wrath of the Dragon!"

"Khaleesi, please, let us follow Ser Barristans advice."

"Ser -Led-by-his-cock is right Your Grace, let us decide on her fate with a cool head. She is locked in a room guarded by Unsullied. We will make sure they are warned about her ways, she cannot harm us for now."

Missandei had been silently listening still horrified by the tale but decided to interject now.

" I agree with Daario, we will not find a solution for the Lady right now. She is locked in and the Unsullied cannot be manipulated thus easy. They will not follow orders that are not coming from their commanders, and with the order to imprison her coming from the Queen they will not take a change in those orders from anyone not in this room.Especially not by a woman who acts so much like a Master Slaves soon learnt to spot manipulation. It was sport to try and tempt or manipulate a competitors slaves into misbehaviour that would make the Master look inept..Seduction was a favorite tool. "

Grey Worm put his hand on Missandeis shoulder. "Missandei speaks truth.We know not to fall for it. But the Unsullied are not sure what the rules are. Can we have friends now? Women? Many other slaves were told to breed, others are afraid because we killed their babies. Many don't know Freemen rules of what is allowed. Many are worried about harvesting now."

The Queen blanched. " Of course you can have friends and marriage even" a glare was sent Daario's way who was muttering something about marriage without menparts " If the harvest wasn't so pressing we would done more. Of course we will not restrict you."

Ser Jorah interjected. " We will not restrict you unduly. For Merreen to work, laws will be needed, regulations need to be made.All our people in Merreen can marry some day, but by law the woman will have at least have flowered, and the man needs to be a man not a boy. I will have to consult someone on Mereenese marriage age laws, and we might have to set ages anew if they allow babes or children to marry. If not we should stand by Mereneese law. You can also only marry the willing - no bride stealing like the Free Folk beyond the wall practice. Many of the freed slaves who have trades will need to return to those as freeman, for fair wages. To keep Mereen running we will need the butchers, the farmers, the bakers, the brewers, the builders weavers and smiths and so many other trades. Others will have to learn new trades. The Masters will also have to do their part to keep the city running. I agree with the Queen, we would not have sent people out to harvest, before we settled those questions if it wasn't for the harvest threatening to go bad on the fields.We all need to eat."

Daario interjected " I even sent some of my more restless Second sons out to help with the harvest in exchange for pay. And to keep an extra eye on the Masters. Keeps them from starting brawls too. Might also be a good deterrent , my Queen , I promise the lads won't destroy another Inn ."

Up to this point Ser Barristan had looked at Daario with rising respect, now he had to snort. 

" I am sure that will calm down the high strung lads. And I think we do need a meeting with the leaders of the different fractions soon , after we had someone go through Mereneese laws and see what can be kept. We don't want to break with too many traditions and decrees, but too many of it will mention slavery.My Queen with your leave I will set up a meeting with scribes and clerks and then we can discuss it in the council in some days. But for now we still need to talk about the reasons for this meeting."

The Queen nodded at Ser Barristan and Dario stepped forward. "There aren't many secrets in my life. I am the son of a whore, I fought in the fighting pits and earned my freedom, then I joined the Second Sons. I have no wife, my mother is gone and the Gods know who sired me. I followed wherever the Second Sons went and fought for the side our Commanders decided on. Until I killed them for our Queen. Beautiful women are my weakness I like to fuck and fight. " Daario sunk into his seat and looked indolently at the others. 

" I was stolen by the slavers from Naath at a young age and sold to a Master in Astapor. My first Master was a slave trainer who had translators for many languages my Queen, as there were slaves from many places. I was good at languages and when it showed they trained me to translate for the merchants and Masters.It saved me from becoming a pleasure slave. I was sold to Good Master Kraznys where you freed me."

" I was trained as an Unsullied. I don't remember much before Unsullied training in Astapor. My Queen freed this one in Astapor."

Ser Barrstan sighed. " I was the Kingsguard to your Graces father King Aerys, I served your brother Rhaegar until I was injured at the Trident. I have already mentioned that being a Kingsguard to King Aerys made us witness a lot of atrocities that we could not stop as sworn swords of the King and Royal House. This includes many of the mad acts like witnessing Lord Rickard Stark burn and Brandon Stark dying, but also the Kings brutality with his own family, the paranoia at court and the slow destruction of the Seven Kingdoms due to the Mad Kings reign. I think there will be many holding a grudge for not interfering in what I witnessed but honor demanded I follow my oath. I was severly injured during the fight that killed Prince Rhaegar, and once I heard of the death of the Royal line while still being with the healers I swore an oath to Robert Baratheon, who was of Targaryen blood. Many will condem me for this turn cloak behaviour too, but he was King and to our knowledge rightful through conquest and blood, as it would be moons before we learnt that Viserys and our Queen survived. I served honorably two bad Kings and then was dismised by the third, for being too old. Though listening to rumours it might have been that the Lannister Queen decided to kill two birds with one arrow opening the position of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard to her brother Jaime and getting rid of the one Kingsguard who had honor. Oh how Ser Gerold and Ser Arthur Dayne would have wept seeing what has become of the noble Kingsguard. A kingslayer who is said to be incestous, breaking his vows and being traitorous by bedding the Queen, two inept fools like Ser Meryn and Ser Boros, unremarkable Ser Mandon Moore, Ser Preston Greenfield who was there when a boar mortally wounded the King and now the Hound Sandor Clegane, brother of the Mountain and not even a knight."

" A Clegane is a Kingsguard?Is he like his brother ?" Ser Jorah interjects. 

"The Hound is a fierce warrior not quite as tall as the mountain but a huge beast none the less. He is a good fighter and was an able Lannister bodyguard to the Prince. He has the skills for serving on the Kingsguard but he is a mannerless uncouth brute and no annointed knight. He hates his brother.Him and the Mountain fought when the Mountain tried to kill a knight that had unhorsed him at a tourney.The Hound saved the lad, Ser Loras Tyrell,life and the brothers went at it for the kill until the King broke up the fight. I heard it whispered that the Hounds fearsome scars were given to him by the Mountain"

"I have witnessed the rabid Mountain during the Greyjoy Rebellion , I do not remember any other man near as tall as the Mountain."

"The Hound has been guarding the Lannister Queen and her children for a long time, he was not on Pyke. Other whispers that I can say by the signs are true,say that Lord Tywin Lannister knows well that he needs to keep the brothers apart if he wants them to be effective and not kill each other.Both of them are some of the fiercest fighters the Kingdom has, but their hate leads to incidents when they cross paths."

"My Quen how did you end up with the Dothraki, I knew the whispers that reached the Kings Small Council but that does not tell much. "

"The first years I can barely remember but from what I can remember we were happy as long as Ser Willem darry watched over us, I have fond memories of the house with the red door. We were well fed and safe, until Ser Willem died and his servants threw us out of the house. Viserys had us going from city to city seeing which Magisters and Lords had what he called loyalty and respect for the rightful King.Often enough we had to beg and sometimes literally beg for bread in the streets, always trying to stay ahead of the Kings hired killers. Until we went to Pentos and stayed with Magister Illyrio noone kept us for long. I was a child and didn't see it bt Viserys made it hard for anyone to host us, he was arrogant, conceited and expected to be treated with deference, he kept telling everyone that he is the King and Kings don't need to be doing this or that, he called his temper waking the Dragon and would act atrociously. So they kicked us out. Illyrio Mopatis ignored Viserys temper and brokered a marriage contract for Khal Drogo who had a huge Khalassar and me. The Khal decided to marry me in exchange for lending his troops to Viserys cause" The Queen trailed off. Ser Jorah took over.

"I first met Viserys and our Queen at the wedding and swore an oath to them.Khal Drogo married our Queen and made her his Khaleesi. Illyrio Mopatis gave the Queen three Dragon eggs as a wedding gift. Shortly after the bedding the Dothraki left Pentos for the great Grass Sea, Viserys in tow as he refused to leave his army,complaining all the while that his army was marching the wrong way. While our Queen learnt the language and customs of the Dothraki from her handmaidens and me and got used to life in the Khalassar Viserys temper showed, he whinged and whined and threatened and showed the Dothraki that he was weak, they made him walk occasionally when the Dragon was woken, especially as,please forgive me Khaleesi, his temper often made him quite rough with the Khaleesi, and the bloodriders and Khal Drogo did not approve. Ser Barristans description of Aerys reminded me a bit of Viserys. "

The queen was white in a mixture of anger and embaressment and Ser Jorah,who knew the next bit would hurt his Queen to recount went back to kneeling before her and offering his hands, raising the eyebrows of Ser Barristan and Daario. 

"the news that the Khaleesi was expecting sent the whole horde to Vaes Dothrak, where the horse heart ceremony was to be performed and where she was to be introduced to the Dosh Khaleen.After the Khaleesi managed to eat the whole raw horse heart the Dosh Khaleen declared her child to be a son and the Stallion who mounts the world.The Queen named him Rhaego." He paused to press her hands, while Ser Barristan looked moved by the choice of name.

" After the ceremony I realized Viserys had gone missing so I looked for him and found him trying to steal the Dragon Eggs.Declaring he needed all three of them for his army. He proclaimed that all that belongs to his sister is also his, and told me that I swore an oath to him and had no right to stop him from taking him. I am glad that I am not a kingsguard and was able to chose the honorable way and made him put the eggs back. Later that knight he entered the festivities very drunk with a sword, -while swords and all weapons are strictly forbidden inside Vaes Dothrak and carrying one is grounds to be killed. He proclaimed that he had sold his sister but hadn't been paid and put the sword on her belly threatening to cut out the unborn child, proclaiming that he was taking his sistr back as she hadn't been paid for but would leave the Khal the child cut from her belly."

Gasps filled the room


	9. Finishing the history lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finish the history lesson and recap and things will get moving again

r 9

Horrified looks went to the Queen who looked pained squeezing Ser Jorah's hands.

" I had tried to keep Viserys from her, but I was unarmed following the laws of Vaes Dothrak and I had underestimated the mad man. He wasn't a good fighter, but a sword right at the belly is something that needs no skill. Khal Drogo told him we would have his crown and men would tremble to behold it. Once Viserys backed off, the Dothraki were on him and the Khal gave him his crown. He poured a pot of melted gold over Viserys head. I could not save him, not after breaking the most sacred law of the Dothraki and threatening the Khal's child infront of a whole Khalassar. Even the whole Kingsguard of King Aerys time could not have won this fight especially unarmed. I was not so keen on losing my life for his folly when my Queen and the next generation of the royal blood in her belly needed me. We watched him die."

Ser Barristan looked outraged torn between different reactions.

" You Ser are no Kingsguard watching on while your King died. You let her Grace watch her brother being tortured and executed? "

Before Ser Barristan could go on Daario interrupted.

" I think it is good he is not a Kingsguard from what I heard today they were not worth much - we would not have a Queen nor Dragons if Ser Jorah had started a fight. He chose the right thing defending our Queen."

Daenerys had listened to all this paling to a ghostly white sometime during Ser Jorah's recollection.

"Ser Jorah did the right thing. He tried to stop Viserys, but he acknowledged that my brother was beyond saving once he broke a sacred law and once it was clear my brother was mad enough to threaten his own blood. He did try to keep me from watching Viserys die, but after my brother had just nearly killed my babe I insisted on seeing it done. My brother was no Dragon, fire doesn't kill a Dragon. He was a mad man, and a fool we would have never made it home on his plans and with his diplomatic skills."

Daario scoffed, "Fire kills everyone my Queen."

"Not a Dragon."

Ser Barristan looked pained. "My Queen, please, do not fall into this trap, the Targaryen believe of being invincible to fire killed so many at Summerhall."

Ser Jorah's chuckles stopped him and he sent a glare his way.

" Our Queen is not speaking in riddles, Ser Barristan, fire does not kill a Dragon, and our Queen is a Dragon. I have seen her withstand the flames with my own eyes. But that is part of the tale still to come."

He paused and collected his thoughts while watching everyones surprised reaction amused. He stayed kneeling infront of the Queen holding her hand. 

" After Viserys died we reach a part in the story I have alluded to before. While visiting the markets at Vaes Dothrak I left our Queen with her kos and handmaidens for a moment to inquire on letters for me and news from the Seven Kingdoms for my Queen. When I was returning to her I saw a wine merchant acting suspicious with the Queen, he had offered her a wine to taste but when learning her name tossed the wine and presented her with a different barrel. I was already worried having just received confirmation that Mopatis was spying on the Queen and I had just given him very valuable information. The shifty behaviour made me inject myself and ask him for a taste. He behaved even more suspicious so I ordered him to taste first. The Queen repeated the order and instead he threw the barrel at her belly. I deflected it and the kos caught the assassine. The man died later being pulled after the Khaleesi's horse naked. It was worrying that they had managed to situate an assassine in Vaes Dothrak, even in the market, I had originally assumed I needed to be more vigilante outside of the heart of the Dothraki empire." 

" Your Grace, you were nearly poisoned before and you have not employed a food taster?" Ser Barristan sounded horrified. " If I had known about this incident I would have insisted on a food taster at least for the Queen, but better for the whole council."

Daario interjected before the Queen could voice the protest visible in her face. 

" I suggest employing one of the former Masters as food tester, the higher up in the old order, the better. It should make the other Masters think twice about trying poison."

Ser Jorah nodded , " Yes, Khaleesi, Daario's plan is a good one. I know you would not want to risk one of the freed men on this, but a former master, and maybe even rotating former Masters in the position of food taster should make the rest of them a bit more wary of trying poison on you, and if they do dare to they'll kill one of their own not one of the former slave or one of us."

Grey Worm looked surprised. " Unsullied have tasted our Queens food for poison since we found her, I thought everyone knew Unsullied guarding anyone of importance were ordered to try their Masters food before sending it to the Queen. We keep Mhysa save!"

The Queen looked heartbroken. " I will accept that men will die in battles for me, but I do not want my Unsullied or any of my Children to die of poison meant for me. I did not mean to ..." Ser Jorah's gentle squeeze of her hands stopped her. She took a deep breath and went on "I cannot lose any of my inner council. See to it that one of the former Masters will be our food taster from now on. Make every house send a member, let the guards chose one on chance each morning so the rivalries between former Masters won't make them chose a certain day to try a poisoning. Use a second and a third to test the food and wine stores of the Unsullied, Free Men and Second Sons some days, you all have your own cooks so it might be enough to just test the stores occasionally if not test every meal."

Missandei made a note on her sheets of paper and Grey Worm nodded his acceptance. 

"What happened next?" She asked her Queen. 

Ser Jorah continued. " Khal Drogo swore to take the ' Iron Chair' for his son and we left Vaes Dothrak to start on his plans. Starting with plundering villages and cities for gold to make the journey to Westeros possible. The Dothraki do not believe in money and had up to this point only plundered for goods and slaves. There was no need for money in the Great Gras Sea. But ships cost money." 

He sighed. " It was when they were raiding the Lamb People of Lhazareen that misfortune hit us. The Khaleeesi saved some women from the rape of the Dothraki and one of the Kos challenged Khal Drogo for allowing her to do so. The Khal got a wound and one of the women she saved Mirri Maz Duur a godswife and maegi offered to treat the wound. The wound kept festering and when the Khal falls off his horse he is near death. Mirri Maz Duur offers to treat him with magic, the kos try to keep the maegi from performing and in the fight the Khaleesi is thrown by one of them, which starts the birthing of Rhaego. " 

Ser Jorah is taking a deep breath carefully keeping his eyes averted from the Queens, the Queen has tears running down her face and is looking to the ground. She continues before Ser Jorah can get his composure.

"Ser Jorah is telling the story too kind. I let myself be tricked by the maegi, against the warnings of the kos I let a maegi treat my Sun and Stars and she poisoned him. Instead of taking this as a lesson I let the same woman perform magic on my husband again, not listening to the violent resistance of the Khalassar. I was stupid, I was betrayed. I paid the highest price." She sobs.Ser Jorah took over. 

"The Khaleesi was betrayed - the Maegi told her that only life could pay for death and when she requested the Khal's best stallion and sacrificed it both of us assumed she meant the stallions life. She did not, " Ser Jorah let his head hang low in defeat/ "Rhaego was born dead and deformed, the maegi claimed she had clearly indicated there was a price to pay and Rhaego was the price. But even with this price paid she tricked us worse. The Khal was a shell that breathed, there was no movement in him, no real life, no thought, no soul. The Maegi admitted to tricking us in revenge for what the Khalassar had done and was even proud of herself. Most of the Khalassar left as a Khal who cannot ride is no Khal, some stayed because they wanted to escort the Khaleesi to Vaes Dothrak to join the Dosh Khaleen. Our Queen had a funeral pyre built for the Khal and Rhaego and added the dragon eggs to it and then had me bind the witch to the pyre before it was lit. Our Queen stepped into the lit pyre and emerged unscathed the next morning, only her clothes having burnt with the three dragons."

Here Ser Jorah stopped again. After a minute he continued.

"With three dragons the size of cats, a few remnants of a Khalassar mostly not fighters we had little choice but to head to the Red Waste. The Dothraki hordes would have slaughtered us and taken our dragons, the Lamb people would slaughter us in revenge. We made it through the Red Waste but not without a lot of hardship and loss, and made it to Qarth, where the warlocks betrayed the 13 for the temptation of dragons, stole the Dragons and tried to steal their mother too. It failed and we ransacked the house of the betrayer, locked him and the traitor in our own company the handmaiden Doreah into the unbreakable but empty vault and bought a ship with the gold found in his house. From there we sailed to Astapor, where Ser Barristan found us during an assassination attempt by the warlocks, saving the Queen from a Manticore. We bought the Unsullied in exchange for a dragon, then the Queen ordered the Unsullied to kill the Masters and had Drogon, the dragon, burn the seller. From there we went on to conquer Yunkhai and Mereen, facts all of us know. "

Daario chuckled, " Quarth, did our Queen wear a Qarthian dress, do they really bare a breast? What was the name of the betrayer? What happened to the rest of the 13? "

" Xaro Xhoan Daxos. The rest of The Thirteen were killed in the deal between Xaro and the Warlocks of Qarth promising Xaro the title of King of Qarth . The lead warlock was Pyat Pree but the Dragons burnt him. Another important person we met was a shadowbinder from Asshai, Quaithe, she gave advice."

"The warlocks are still a concern. Pyat Pree might be dead, their plans might be foiled for now but there was a reason they were so keen on getting the dragons. The present of the Dragons re-awakened their magic, that is why they took him and tried to take me captive too. I am not too worried anymore, my children are now strong enough to defend themselves."

Ser Jorah looked a bit more pained. 

"But they know our Queen would do anything for her Dragons and they would do much for our Queen. The fact that your Grace sees the dragons as her children and they see her as their mother leaves room for manipulation. If someone were to take either somehow it is very clear the other will follow and attempt a rescue leaving an oprning for a trap."

With the remark that they all had a lot to think about Ser Barristan suggested they'd go their way for now and think on all that was aid. 

\----

Ser Jorah looked down at the list of things that he had noted down during the talks - willing himself to not feel very overwhelmed by the sheer amount of questionmarks and worries. His plan for now was to sort them into categories of things needed to be done, questions they should figure out at some point and prioritize those between things needed as soon as possible and things to be done before they started back to Westeros and problems shown with the last reigning monarchs decisions thta needed to be approached differently once Westeros was conqyered 

Once he ahd organized his own notes he'd ask Missandei to look at her notes. The council would be very busy for a long time indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I'm hoping to be faster with the next one, as I have already started on it.   
> As before remember a lot of the information is presented from the point of view of one of the people involved so bias will be present and even the bits that are not blatantly AU will be colored by the personal view and knowledge of the one recounting it. Also I do mix TV and Book canon as the TV show is silent on some points while book canon divergence soetimes don't fit into the storyline.   
> Things will become more AU from the next chapter onwards as this is a partial fix it and the Queen will learn from this and not make some of the mistakes made in canon. Having her Bear with her will derail other mistakes and knowing the truth about her history will change events like meeting Jon Snow or her approach to the Dornish and Greyjoys and Tyrells. I also expect some bias against the Hightowers due to Lynesse shenanigans.


	10. Time goes on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time goes on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the short chapter and the long wait, I've been having a lot of trouble figuring out the timeline at this particular point.  
> I'm following a mix of book and TV timeline and I know I will follow the book Bolton plot with the false Arya but that is te future, right now I'm still trying to figure out when to reveal that joffrey is dead and what to do about the Tyrion storyline.

It had been a very eye opening couple of days for the Mother of Dragons and her council.

For now their most important task was to get the harvest in safely and to keep an escalation between the former Masters and Slaves from happening. Laws were reviewed and the process of rewriting them had begun, the slaves started to earn their living and the masters -while losing money on paying out wages at least profited from the excess harvest and restarted trade with other cities. 

Works were still supervised by the Unsullied and Second Sons but after a few tense first days the pressure had eased up a bit. The kinder former Masters realized their losses were not that high between paying wages to the former slaves and to having to house, feed and cloth their slaves especially as they realized they only had to pay harvest workers during harvest times and had less idle slaves when work on the fields was low. The more cruel and abusive Masters did feel the new economic situation more as they had not spent enough on their slaves. 

The former slaves were happier even doing the same tasks without cruel masters overworking them and with a wage and the ability to feel (and eat) the fruit of their labor. 

The fact that their commercial antagonists in Yunkai and Astapor had the same new troubles and more as the Queen and her troops were not there to keep the peace, let to an especially lucrative trade for the former Masters in Mereen. 

The seed of rebellion was still there as enough of the former Masters were pining their former might, but with the way food and trade were secured and the examples that were made of some dissenting Masters during the harvest the seed was slow to grow. It would mostly die when the results of the rebellion to the new regime in Astapor and Yunkai did not lead to the hoped for return to prosperity and power, but lost harvests, death , starvation anda Butcher as the new regent. 

The Queen's deal with the Volanteen further stabilized the new reign. 

Efforts were made to repair the city and the fields and while the grumbling didn't stop the city prospered and the few people donning golden masks were soon silenced, especially as the talks had emboldened Missandei to request that the Queen and her council made a decision on the religions found in Mereen and the ones practiced by the former slaves and the council decided to acknowledge several religions furthered by the good word Ser Jorah put in for that plan citing the co- existance of the Old Gods and the Seven and even the Drowned God in Westeros, especially the way the North had no problem with embracing both, having a Gods Wood and a sept in Winterfell. 

While all these dire and important tasks were tackled the Lady Lynesse was still kept as a prisoner in the set of rooms. A servant brought her meals and they filled a bath for her every few days but she had little contact to anyone and was still pondering went wrong and how to salvage the situation. 

Meanwhile news from Westeros are finally making it to Mereen. 

A lot had happened so the council met up to discuss it. 

The news of the atrocities of this war were stacking up and the non Westerosi and the King were shocked by the viciousness of the Westerosi tearing each other apart . 

The news of the two youngest sons of Ned Stark being burnt by Ironborn former ward of the Lord hit the Queen especially hard. Those were boys too young to play any role in the war of the five Kings. It was especially senseless as the man didn't even manage to keep the Keep. 

The news of the Battle of Blackwater and the death of Balon Geyjoy were encouraging, the country would be ripe for the taking soon.News about the announcement of the start of Autumn were less encouraging and posing a new issue for the plans to take back the Iron Throne. 

Ser Barristan and Ser Jorah both stated that trying to invade all of Westeros in Winter would be folly, but it   
might be feasible to conquer the South during Winter and let winter conquer the rest for them. The war would have depleted a lot of resources, men were absent from the fields, news had reached them, that the Mountain was still burning fields, harvests went bad on the fields , others lay fallow. In short many thousands would starve during the Winter leaving them with little to no time to mount a defense for the Spring when the Queen's forces would then easily be able to march on North. Feeding the South with the riches and harvests from Mereen would guanrantee the Queen the love of her newly conquered Westerosi subjects especially as news of the Boy King starving even the peasants in his capital city had reached them too. Murmurs of a riot that left several highborns dead including the High Septon had also reached Mereen and showed them how important it had been to find a fast solution to the harvest situation.


	11. Meanwhile in Westeros

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small look over the sea to Westeros before we turn to the question of controlling or locking up the dragons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize like always for potentially butchering the timeline.  
> I am doing a mix up of book and TV verse and the timeline seems to get tangled up like crazy.  
> It is also turning into more of a fix it. I decided deaing differently with Mereen will have an impact on the news that reach Westeros, so Dorne and Oberyn hear of Daenerys success earlier and more positively. Oberyn would go for the best and most thourough revenge on the Lannisters and a more prominent and less impetous Queen leads to very different reports reaching a man with good connections to Volantis.  
> I will keep the fake Ayria plot but the changes starting in this chapter will probably change the Sansa storyline, I am not sure yet how much.

The Bear's Wife 

Far away in Westeros news about Slavers Bay and Mereen reached Dorne early and Prince Oberyn refused Tywin Lannisters offer to judge the Imps trial citing a Raven from Dorne telling him dire news about the health of Prince Doran. A ruse of sorts as the news about the Dragon Queen opened up a new approach to their goal of vengeance. The work with the Volanteen merchants including a contact of Prince Oberyn who was connected to the mother of his bastard Nymeria had led to news of the Queens conquest reaching him most expediently.

The Mountain, his other goal in Kings Landing was not in the city but plundering the Riverlands and it looked like the Lannisters would be tearing apart each other for a while and Oberyn felt confident and even amused to let them suffer by their own hands for the immediate future. 

Tywin Lannister had no choice but to accept the Prince's refusal and recalled Petyr Baelish as acting Lord of the Vale as the third judge. 

Meanwhile Sansa Stark wife of Tyrion Lannister unbeknownst to all was on her way to the Vale. 

Prince Oberyn set sails to Essos after a fortnight picking up more crew, his nephew and two of his Sand Snakes Nymeria and Tyene as well as instructions from his princely brother in Ghost Hill in Dorne. 

News are reaching them in Ghost Hill that the Mountain has butchered another knight, a man of little importance who was the brother of one of the Mountains late wifes rumoured to have died at the Mountain's hand. Though being cross at having missed a chance to slay his sister's butcherer there is nothing for Prince Oberyn but continue on his course and imagine the Mountain burnt to ashes by dragon fire.

After this they set sail to Slaver's Bay.

With their fortnight in Ghost Hill and a bad storm delaying them a few days before they reached Ghost Hill unbeknown to the Dornish the Spider's ship carying Tyrion to safety reaches Pentos and Magister Illyrio who does not like the Imp sends him off to Mereen the very next day, disagreeing with letting him close to Gryff. 

Meanwhile in Mereen the Queen faces a very different set of problems. How to controll the dragons. One of her dragons has burnt a shepherd's child to death while poaching sheep. The Queen is horrified and contemplating to lock away all three dragons. Her council disagrees. 

After the Queen has promised the shepherd money for the lost sheep and more the lost child and that she would make sure to take care of the danger she dismisses her audience and asks her inner council to join her for a talk. 

Daenerys is horrified that one of her children killed a child and though it is hurting her heart she proclaims a need to lock away her children for the good of her other children.

Daario, Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan all council her against this. 

" Your Grace, the Dragons are your signet animals they are a beacon for your reign. " Ser Barristan argues. 

" Your Grace they are your strength and your deterrent, do not lock them away, locking them away will leave them and us vulnerable to attacks." Daario adds. 

"Khaleesi I know you, I know the dragons, they are your children, it will break your and their hearts to lock them away. They love you and obey you when you are near, it might break the bond to lock them away. They are your children and they have never attacked a man on their own before. We should investigate the incident some more. Mayhaps the child was hidden from view in between the sheep or on the ground hurt or killed by stampeeding live stock fleeing from the dragons before it got burnt. I have never seen Drogon, Viserion or Rhaegal attack anything but livestock with fire without you ordering them. Even when Doreah betrayed you and the warlocks of Quarth stole your dragons they did not burn them down until you gave the word. I have seen them snarl and snap at men without your leave but never use fire."  
" If Ser Jorah has the truth of it, I agree we need to investigate before even thinking about locking up the Dragins, your Grace" Ser Barristan agreed.. "Mayhaps we could order the shepherds to stay away from their flocks when the dragons approach for now, promising them gold for any slain animals, warning them to keep their distance as not to be overlooked by the dragons."

"Mayhaps " Daario began sneering lightly at Ser Barristan "We should find a field to feed the dragons in, we put livestock we paid for in, and that no one but her Grace is allowed to enter. Mayhaps feeding them will keep them from decimating herds and sending shepherd to your audiences to try and seek recompensation."

The Queen nodded rather glad for a way to keep her children free for now. " I agree we will send word to stay far from the herds when the dragons hunt AND we will designate a small dale to feed the dragons that no one but me and Ser Jorah will be allowed to enter. My children know my bear well enough to let him close, they remember him carrying them in the Red Waste and will not harm him.. I cannot always be there to feed them. I will also talk to them about this and order them to only hunt in that dale but Drogon has been wroth to listen for a while. I hope I will not have to regret this and lock them away."

Ser Jorah was rather pale but agreed that his Khaleesi's children knew him and had not shown aggression towards him. He was rather fond of Rhaegal who had clung the closest to him while being carried in the Red Waste and who was still the most likely to seek out the presence of the knight while keeping his distance. 

"Khaleesi you should introduce the rest of your council to the dragons, too. I will be honored to feed them when you cannot but there might come a time where it could be important that they know the ones the closest to you."

No one looked quite happy as none of them had met the dragons when they were still small and helpless and at their current size they were rather intimidating to see from afar let alone from close by. 

Even Ser Jorah was aprehensive, but he at least had the memories of the tiny cat sized dragons and had seen how they adored their mother. 

A few days later the dale had been designed, proclamations had been made to make it off limits as the official royal dragon hunting ground some shepherds had tried to complain that it wasn't enugh to keep their flocks safe and that they were losing fertile grazing land, but the complaints had been silenced very easily. 

Now the time had come to introduce the dragons to their new hunting grounds, after some deliberation they had ordered a fence built around the entrance to the dale, with the steep rising hills providing the other walls and had released a few heads of cattle, and small herds of goats and sheep into the grounds, in the hopes that they'd last the dragons a while and the fact that the herds were roaming mostly free would satisfy the prey drive of the dragons. 

The Queen stood just inside the fenced in dale and calling her children to her. Soon they were all landing and crowding around her while her council kept a healthy distance away. 

The Queen showed the new hunting grounds to her children while they demanded her attention, and explained her orders to them before inviting them to hunt.

Drogon rose first, heading right for the cattle and after scaring them and making them run he easily slew the biggest of the cattle, picked up his catch like a trophhy dropped it not far from his mother and ripped it to pieces, after roasting and devouring his first bites, he picked up and dropped a rather large hind leg infront of his mother proudly. The Queen lost no time to thank her largest child for the gift, remembering her life as Khaleesi she ripped a large bit off of the smoking leg biting into the rather unappealing slightly charred partially raw meat before offering the larger chunk back to Drogon all the while extolling her son for his huntitng progress and his generosity and his ability to provide for his mother. 

When Drogon took the remains of the leg back to his kill to devour it, that seemed to be the sign for Rhaegal and Viserion to hunt too.  
They rose together and within minutes returned with a goat each following Drogons example and offering their mother a leg. 

The Queen suppressed a wince and ripped off a chunk of each leg before repeatingly praising her smaller two for doing their part in hunting and providing for themselves and their mother. A small squabble over her attention was fixed by a loud growl from Drogon . 

To everyones surprise a shy Rhaegal picked up the discarded goat leg after his brothers had turned back to their meal and carried it in the diretion of the rest of the council. 

The council scattered slowly but Rhaegal kept going for them until the Queen called out " Ser Jorah, please step away from the council and come forward." Rhaegal brought the leg up right to Ser Jorah and spit it at his feet. 

With a hidden sigh the old knight picked up the leg, ripped out a good chunk of meat and proceeded to take a bite before louding a shy Rhaegal for his prowess as a hunter and thanking him for the gift of meat. 

Rhaegal who had taken a step back after delivering his gift , was preening at the praise and took the last bit of leg back to his kill to finish his feed. 

"Khaleesi it seems that you were right to order me to help with the feeding of the Dragons. It seems at least Rhaegal remembers who helped to provide them with meat when they were small." 

The Queen laughed gaily, " I have to say this went better than expected, Ser Jorah. I had hoped they'd accept your presence this side of the fence once they were fed. Please come closer and we'll see what happens when they are finished."

Ser Jorah obeyed and walked over to his Queen, keeping his movements slow and deliberately keeping his distance from the feeding dragons..

" I do admit I thought it would be best if all of us kept our distance until they were finished feeding. I well remember them hissing even at their mother when they were fighting over their prey on our travels. I had not expected them to share with their mother let alone with me."

The Queen was still laughing. "Food was scarce for so long I understand why they fought over their prey. Here they have a good supply and we will add new livestock when needed so I think finally having a well fed table has made them generous." The Queen giggled Ï was never so glad that the horse heart ceremony has taught me to eat even revolting things without showing it, this was not exactly a meal for a Queen but it would have hurt their feelings if I had shown revulsion. Thank the horse lords for their revolting ceremony."

" Khaleesi I was so proud of you then as I am now." Ser Jorah answered in a low and husky voice. " you are a Queen worth following to the end of the world" 

" Or all through the Red Waste. My Bear you have proven to me that I can lead, you have been loyal while I let you to the worst of places. I am glad to have a friend and advisor I can trust so much."

The Queen had slighlty sobered at his words feeling touched at his devotion to her and still elated at the way her children had taken to a plan that would not have come to pass without her new trust in her council and without her bear who had trusted in the love between her and her dragons and had spoken up for them to stay free of chains, no matter how much he had also warned her about the amount of taming a dragon would take to.

" I do thank you Ser Jorah for making me see that I did not need to lock up my children, just look how happy they are and we witnessed how much they love me. I am glad I did not have to break their hearts and mineand lock them up. And it was your word on their love of me and on their devotedness that allowed for this plan to form."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While the idea that the dragons might have some memory of the other people taking care of them came to me due to TV interaction between them and Doreah before Doreah betrayed them , which had me going they should remember Ser Jorah even more than they did Doreah, he was an integral part of survival in the Red Waste and he was still at their side long after Doreah had been dealt with.   
> So while my inspiration came mostly from the TV storyline I have seen it done in a story before and will give a nod to that story: Fire and Ice by Ellymelly - where there is more to Ser Jorah, the journey to Westeros for the queen takes a lot longer and some weird turns and he seems to be Azor ashai . 
> 
> I think the dragons are more than just beasts and the TV arc hints at it with Drogons cries when Daenerys hands the chain to Krazny and how Drogon saves her and how they act during the talks with the Yunkai . Most animals will form bonds with others apart from their own person and I think dragons would even more so.So the fix it wheels are turning again and while the Dragons will not ever trust Ser Jorah as much as they trust their mother and while I promise he will not suddenly become a dragon rider they will learn to at least partially trust him and hopefully according to Daenerys plan the council so she'll have trusted people interacting with them when she can not. 
> 
> If anyone knows other stories where the dragons actually show their intelligence more I love recs for stories to read 
> 
> And yes, I kept Oberyn alive, because it was a senseless death, and I want to see him live. Also this gives him chances for a much better revenge which is the reason I think I can change his fate without changing his personality too much and I avoid the utter mess that Dorne would be if he died and the Sand Snakes and Ellaria lost their mind so utterly and completely.


End file.
